I have just been arrested! What should I do?
Once you have contacted your family or friends, you should seek out an experienced criminal defense lawyer who can quickly find out as much information as possible concerning the reason for your arrest, and arrange to have you released as soon as possible.
Never answer any questions from law enforcement without legal representation. There are countless cases in which people were pressured confessed to crimes they were not involved in. If you are being questioned without an attorney, you can expect to be arrested within a short period of time.
THE DO’s
DO be polite and as courteous as possible to the police. Do not give them any reason to find you threatening.
DO ask for the police officer’s name and badge number, or read it off of his or her badge. Try to remember it. Try to get a good look at the officer’s face so that you can identify him or her later by that method, if necessary.
DO, if you are arrested in your car, show the police officer your driver’s license and registration information. In other situations, such as when you are stopped while walking down the street, you cannot be arrested for the sole reason of refusing to provide information, including your name and address, to the police.
DO, if you are taken into custody, demand the right to have an attorney present before speaking to the police.
DO ask if you are under arrest.
DO clearly inform the police that you will not speak to them about anything without an attorney being present.
DO, as soon as you can, write down everything that happened during the course of your arrest so that you can use that writing to refresh your memory at a later date.
DO, if you are physically injured by the police during the course of your arrest, seek medical attention and inform your medical providers of the cause of your injuries. Take photographs of your injuries as soon as possible.
DO remember that you do not need to answer ANY question that the police ask of you. If you answer a question which at first seems harmless, be aware that it may later come back to haunt you.
THE DON’Ts
DON’T offer information to the police, no matter what tactics they use.
DON’T assume that the police have a search warrant just because they say that they do. If they say they have a search warrant, ask to see it.
DON’T get into an argument with the police.
DON’T initiate physical contact with the police, even if you mean them no harm.
DON’T place your hands where the police cannot see them.
DON’T interfere with or obstruct the police. If you do, you can face additional criminal charges.
DON’T resist arrest. Even if you think you are innocent, the time to protest comes later. If you resist arrest, you may face additional charges.
DON’T allow the police to listen in on any telephone call that you make to your lawyer once you have been arrested. While the police may listen in on conversations to other individuals, they cannot listen to a conversation with your lawyer because it is protected by the attorney-client privilege.
DON’T speak to the police about anything before you attorney arrives and talks to you first.
DON’T agree to have your property searched, once you are arrested, without your attorney’s advice.
DON’T provide the police with any information other than your name and address if you are arrested unless your attorney is present and approves.
DON’T sign anything, no matter what it is, without an attorney being present.
DON’T say anything if your attorney instructs that you remain silent. Let your attorney do the talking for you, no matter how hard it may be to resist the urge to speak.
DON’T agree to participate in a line-up without your attorney being present, unless they refuse to allow you to have an attorney present.
DON’T lie to your attorney.
