Top 10 things to do if you are arrested
1. Tell The Police Officer or Detective that you wish to talk to your Lawyer. Repeat this request to every officer who speaks to you.
2. Identify yourself, if asked. If the incident is related to a motor vehicle, produce your license, registration, and insurance card.
3. Beyond identifying yourself, give no other information. Answer NO other questions. SIGN NOTHING. If you are asked any other questions, reply politely, "I would rather not discuss it.
NOTE: If you are arrested for Drunk Driving in New Jersey, you must give breath samples before you call your Lawyer. You are not required to do field sobriety tests such as walking a straight line.
Remember: Even a fish would not get caught if they kept their mouth closed. [Copyright Alan Marain] OJ remained silent and was out playing golf for a decade on the nicest courses in Florida.
4. Hire a trial lawyer at the first opportunity. Hire an experienced criminal lawyer. Don’t hire an ambulance chaser that mails you a solicitation letter advising they handle cases cheap, then sends a young attorney with no trial experience to handle the case. Remember, good things ain’t cheap, and cheap things ain’t good. [Zig Ziglar]
5. Borrow money from relatives and friends. You made need more money to hire a good attorney You may need money to hire investigators and experts.
6. Provide your attorney the Complaint. Provide Arrest report if provided.
7. Obtain names, addresses, phone number of your witnesses and provide to your attorney.
8. Take Photos of arrest location, if applicable. Ex- DWI location of walking straight line or suppression issue.
9. Call Court and confirm location and time of initial appearance. Sometimes courts change date of appearance without telling you. You don’t want to waste a trip to the courthouse or show up the wrong day or time.
10. Please prepare and mail to my office a list of 15 reasons why the judge should not impose the maximum penalties or fines.
