Top 3 Mistakes To Avoid If You're Arrested

13 May 2015
 Categories: Finance & Money, Blog

Share

Most people don't think they'll ever be in a situation where they're arrested or otherwise questioned by police. It's one of those things that you never imagine will happen to you--until it's happening and you're not sure what to do. What are your rights? How much should you disclose to the police? Regardless of whether you're innocent or not, there are some mistakes you'll want to avoid if you're ever arrested.

Making Any Admissions Before You've Seen a Lawyer

Police officers, being authority figures and having the ability to take away your basic rights, can be understandably intimidating. As such, it might be tempting for you to tell them what they want to hear. However, even if you know you're guilty of the charges, you shouldn't make any admissions until you've spoken to a lawyer. You're not under any legal obligation to say anything that could be used against you in court, regardless of whether or not you're read your Miranda Rights. On that note, understand that a police officer doesn't need to read you your Miranda Rights unless you're being questioned.

Waiting to Hire a Lawyer After You're Formally Charged

If you're arrested and bail out of jail shortly after, it might be awhile before your charges are formally filed against you. That's because, even after you're arrested, the police officer who arrested you needs to write a detailed report, submit it to a prosecutor, and have the prosecutor decide to file on the charges. However, don't mistake this as a chance to put off speaking with a lawyer; no matter how long it takes for your charges to be formally filed, speaking with a lawyer as soon as possible will help get you on the right track.

Being Careless With Your Bail Bond

Finally, if you end up taking out a bail bond in order to get out of jail until your court date, make sure you know what you're committing to. For example, understand that if you skip out on your court date, you'll not only have a warrant out for your arrest, but you'll also forfeit your bail money and eventually owe additional fees, interest, and penalties from the bail bond company. Make sure you also understand how long you'll have to pay back your bail amount, in addition to any interest. This will help you to avoid serious financial problems later on down the road. A local bond company, like Absolute Bail Bonds, may be able to answer any questions you have about the process.