Category: General Law

Know Your Rights: What You Should Understand When Getting Arrested – Guest Post

   

When Getting Arrested

Getting arrested is a situation most of us never expect to happen. However, if you’re not prepared for this life-changing moment, your actions can completely change the trajectory of your life. Make sure your rights are protected if you’re ever arrested by keeping the following information in mind.

Stay Calm

Getting arrested may seem daunting, but it’s not the end of the world. It’s important to understand that you have certain rights, whether you are guilty or not. Use this information to keep you calm during an arrest. Remember to avoid physical confrontation with police, ask questions to learn why you’re being arrested, and make sure to tell your side of the story to authorities to protect yourself later. Remember to stay calm and reasonable without forgetting your rights. You don’t want to do anything to get yourself into even more trouble.

Understand the Miranda Warning

The Miranda warning legally must be given by police when they arrest you. This statement will help to protect you during your arrest. Your Miranda rights indicate that if your case ends up in court, the judge can use what you say during your arrest as evidence against you. This is a good reason to not say anything outside of what is necessary without a lawyer present. Even if tempted to defend yourself, choose your words carefully, as they can be misinterpreted and used against you later on.

Consult an Attorney Right Away

If you’re arrested, an important way to avoid costly mistakes is to consult with an attorney that specializes in your particular situation. For instance, if you’ve been arrested for drunk driving, contact a DWI attorney as soon as possible. If you can’t afford one, look into free or inexpensive legal services and explore your options for applying for financial aid. If all else fails, you have the right to an attorney assigned to you by the state. An attorney can help ensure that you protect your legal rights and help make sure that you protect yourself against false accusations.

Contact Family and Friends

If you can’t call an attorney in the situation of a potential arrest, you should let a loved one know about your situation. Even if your friends and family don’t have legal expertise, their support will make a difference in helping you navigate the stressful situation. If possible, designate one person to be your go-to emergency contact for anyone to call in case of legal trouble.

If you are arrested, it helps to know your emergency contact’s information by heart. This way, you can use your one phone call to reach out to your loved one and get help as soon as possible. Hopefully, your contact will be able to make bail and get you out of jail sooner than later.

Getting arrested can be an extremely stressful situation, and with the stakes being so high, it’s important to know what your rights are. Keep these four things in mind if you are ever arrested or in trouble with the police.

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Tips for If You’re Ever Arrested – Guest Post

  

Tips for If You're Ever Arrested

No one ever plans on being arrested, but you should know what you would do in the event it someday happens to you. Whether there’s a good reason for your being taken into custody, or you’re completely innocent, there are some tips that you should know about in case you’re ever in a position where you need to make decisions that will impact your life in the future.

Don’t Retaliate or Run Away

It feels pretty obvious when there’s no pressure on you, but it’s a lot harder to resist when you’re in custody or about to be taken in, especially if you’re innocent or believe you don’t deserve to be arrested. You need to avoid retaliating or otherwise behaving poorly after you’re arrested because you’ll only make things worse for yourself if you choose to retaliate or run away. In fact, you’re likely to get hurt if the police have to chase you down or restrain you.

Call a Bail Bondsman

In the event that you’re arrested, the police will give you the option of making phone calls, including calling loved ones, an attorney, and a bondsman. If you’re charged with a fairly minor offense, using a bondsman is one of the best ways to ensure that you’re released on bail within a few hours of your bail being set. This lets you go to work, take care of children, and attend to other life responsibilities while you’re waiting for your court date. Bail bonds can be fairly useful in the states they’re permitted, and the bondsman can work with you and your family to move the process forward.

Answer Basic Questions But Don’t Talk Too Much

When you get to the police station, you’ll be asked basic questions and asked to show identification. You should only answer to things like your address, full name, date of birth, and other factual questions about who you are. Be careful about talking because you’re nervous. Giving more information than what’s actually necessary can put you in a position of accidentally incriminating yourself, as anything you do say while in custody can be used against you later on. It’s best to stick with factual information that doesn’t pertain to the reason that you’re being arrested, especially before you have a chance to speak with a lawyer.

If you’re ever arrested, knowing how to handle yourself can ensure a better experience during your court hearing, and you’ll know that you’ll get a more fair hearing. These tips can help you prepare for the event that you’re ever arrested, and they can ensure that you have the ability to connect with the people who can help without digging yourself into more trouble.

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4 Examples of When It’s A Good Idea to Hire An Attorney – Guest Post

  

Hire An Attorney

There are some minor legal issues out there that you may be able to resolve yourself. Whether this is by having a plan in place, having thoroughly read your contract, or from prior experience, you may feel well equipped to deal with a legal problem here or there. However, there are many other legal issues that require professional attention and should not be undertaken without someone there to advise you. Here is a list of reasons that you should hire an attorney.

You Have Tax Problems

Tax problems can cause you a lot of headaches, especially if you don’t really understand where you messed up. If you have tax problems, then you end up with levies put on your bank account until you get things cleared up. You can also end up at risk of losing your home or business. Fortunately, you have resources available to you long before things are at risk of getting to that point. An attorney can help you resolve the tax issues that you have by reviewing your taxes, your financial information, and whatever the initial mistake was. They can also advise you on how to avoid similar situations in the future.

You Want to Start a Business

It is in your best interest to call an attorney if you want to start a business. There are many legal hoops and hurdles involved with starting your own business that they can help you deal with. For example, you will have to decide how you are going to structure your business and your finances. You also have to make sure that you abide by all laws both federal and local. Your attorney can help you set up your business properly. They can also make sure that you are in compliance with federal and state laws.

Many people run into legal issues while they are running their business. However, most of those problems could have been avoided if the person would have hired an attorney.

You Have a DUI

If you are caught driving under the influence, then there are many negative consequences that you can face. You may not be able to drive for a long time because you can get your license suspended. Jail time, community service, and fines are other possible consequences. Your DUI attorney can help you avoid those consequences. In fact, it is possible to get the charges dropped completely.

You Have Family Issues

Divorce and child custody issues can take months to resolve. There are also many things that can complicate those cases. Your attorney can help you get family issues resolved. One of the many great things about hiring an attorney is that you may be able to get the family issues resolved without going to court. However, if you do have to go to court, then your attorney will represent you.

An attorney can make your life easier by helping you fix your legal issues. You need an attorney if you have tax problems. You should also hire an attorney if you are starting a new business. A DUI case warrants the need for an attorney. Furthermore, you should hire an attorney if you have family issues.

Kara Masterson is a freelance writer from West Jordan, Utah. She graduated from the University of Utah and enjoys writing and spending time with her dog, Max. She can be found at @KaraMasterson.

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