Criminal Procedure After an Arrest

You've been arrested. Now what?

If you have been arrested, the next step in the criminal process is the booking. You will be in police custody and your arrest will be processed. Generally, this step involves being asked for your personal information, having information recorded about the crime for which you have been accused, having your criminal background checked for prior convictions, being searched, fingerprinted, and photographed, having your personal property confiscated, and being placed in a holding cell. If you have been arrested for something minor, you may only have to sign a citation, promising to appear at a scheduled court date. If you have been placed in jail, you will want to get released. This can be done through posting bail or you may be released on your own recognizance.

Being Released on Your Own Recognizance

This means that you will not be required to post bail to the court in order to be released from jail. You will, however, have to promise in writing that you will appear at your scheduled court hearings in the future. Generally, you will not be allowed to leave the community while your case is ongoing. Judges will determine whether or not you may be released in this manner, based on how serious your alleged offense is, whether you have a previous criminal record, how much of a danger you might be if released, and what ties you have to the community in the way of family, friends, a job, and more. If, after you are released on your own recognizance, you fail to show up in future criminal proceedings, a warrant for your arrest will be ordered by the court and you will forfeit any future right to be released on bail.

Posting Bail

If you are required to post bail, you will have to put up cash, either through friends and family or through a bail bondsman. The judge on your case will determine the amount of bail required. Bail is money given to the court to ensure that you will appear for future court dates. If you don't show up, the bail money is kept by the court and you will most likely be arrested and put back in jail.

A Fort Lauderdale Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help

If you have been arrested and charged with a criminal offense in the Ft. Lauderdale area, you will have the right to a Ft. Lauderdale criminal defense attorney. You should exercise that right by retaining the services of an experienced and skilled criminal lawyer who knows his way around a courtroom, knows how to construct an aggressive defense, and has proven results. At Parks & Braxton, PA you will find such an attorney. Our team has over 45 years of combined experience, handling all types of criminal cases from DUI to murder. We are not afraid to take your case to trial, if necessary, and will provide diligent and comprehensive legal support from arrest, to bail, to arraignment, to all of the steps that may follow. Our firm offers a free consultation in which you can discuss your situation to find out where you stand and how an experienced attorney can help.

Arrested and charged with a criminal offense? Contact a Ft. Lauderdale criminal defense lawyer at Parks & Braxton, PA today.