Arrested By The Police? Here’s What To Do

Here is some advice from The Criminal Defense Law Center of West Michigan to help you when you are arrested by the police.  If you do these things when you are busted by police, your criminal defense lawyer will thank you for it.

1. Keep your mouth shut: Do not talk to the police! They are only looking to get you to confess or gather information to build a case against you. You will only slit your own throat by talking to the police. The police are not here to help you. Exercise your right to remain silent and ask to talk to a lawyer!  You also need to keep your mouth shut on Facebook, Twitter and when talking to your friends. The only person you should talk to about your case is your lawyer! The police will search your social media accounts and use anything you say there against you!
2. Plead not guilty at your arraignment: Even if you are guilty of the crime, your attorney can work with the prosecutor to get you a diversion program or lesser charges.  At your arraignment,  you don’t know if the case against you is strong. You also don’t know if the evidence against you is admissible. The attorneys at The Criminal Defense Law Center of West Michigan will know if the evidence is admissible and if the case against you is weak or strong.
3. Do not give away your constitutional rights:  You have constitutional rights that protect you from abuse by the state. The state must prove you are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. You are under no obligation to prove anything. If you have been busted by police, the state must let you see all the evidence they have against you. The state must prove the search was legal and that probable cause existed to arrest you.
4. Take your case seriously:  Just because you are charged with a misdemeanor doesn’t mean you should take your case lightly.  You need to hire a lawyer to protect your rights and guide you through the process. If you are charged with a felony, it is extremely important that you hire a lawyer to fight for your rights.
5. Preserve exculpatory information:  Do not misplace any information that can help your case. This evidence could be in the form of numbers of witnesses, names, videos, text messages and phone calls.