The U.S. Constitution affords you the right to legal representation if or when you face criminal charges. You are not under any obligation to defend yourself alone in court. You can retain the services of an attorney to represent you.
However, when it comes to hiring a local criminal defense lawyer in Jupiter, FL, defendants like you can be confused about when to make that phone call. By knowing when to put an attorney on retainer, you can give yourself the best chance of beating the charges against you.
Before Your Arraignment Hearing
By law, you have to be formally arraigned on the charges against you before you can either be let out on bail or retained in jail. You can appear before the arraignment judge by yourself. However, when you hire a skilled criminal defense lawyer in Jupiter, FL, inmates like you could fare better during this hearing.
Before you are arraigned, you can tell the law enforcement officials holding you that you would like to hire an attorney or have one appointed to you. They then must allow you to make a phone call to a local attorney or contact the public defenders office on your behalf.
Your lawyer can then appear with you in the arraignment hearing. He or she can argue for why you should receive little if any bail or bond or allowed to go free on your own recognizance.
Before Police Questioning
The Constitution also allows you to avoid incriminating yourself during questioning. However, if you do not have a lawyer to advise you, you could inadvertently admit to committing a crime for which you are really not guilty. By having a lawyer with you during police questioning, you can know when to use your Fifth Amendment or Miranda rights.
The Law Office of Laura Kenny can protect you from unlawful charges, and we can also make sure you are handled fairly by the court and law enforcement. Contact us at laurakennylaw.com for your first consultation.
