5 Things to Do if You have Been Arrested in Indiana

Transcript:

I'm gonna be talking about five things you should do immediately if you or a loved one have been arrested.

1. RECORD WHAT HAPPENED

The first thing you should do is make a written statement that you can refer back to over the course of the case, which can often time take several months or even years. It's actually one of the first things police do after you've been arrested, they sit down and make a statement. You should do the same thing. You should also save text messages and photos or any other evidence that you have that relates back to what happened.

2. DON'T TALK ABOUT YOUR CASE

The second thing to do is not talk about your case. Your statements can be used against you. So the only thing that is privileged are the statements between you and your lawyer. So don't talk to friends about your case, don't post on social media, and definitely do not talk about your case on jail phones. You wanna keep the specifics about your case between you and your attorney.

3. FIGURE OUT BAIL/BOND

The next thing to do is figure out bail and bond. We need to get you out of jail, so you need to see what the bond is in your case. Is it cash? Do you need a bondsman? Or do you need to file a motion to get it modified? There are a lot of things we can do such as file motions to recall warrants, modify bond, or get you released on to home detention or on your own recognizance.

4. TALK TO AN ATTORNEY

The fourth thing is to talk to an attorney. You need a resource to turn to during this time period. You need to get your legal questions answered and figure out what the best approach is to your case, and cases can last a long time, and you wanna be able to have the right support through the process.

5. CONSIDER MITIGATION

And last, you should consider if there's anything you should be doing to mitigate the impact of the conviction. This is 'cause cases can last a long time and you have time to make changes in your life. So, for instance, you could improve your education, get a job, or seek out substance abuse treatment. This is a stressful process, and we hope that you can move your life forward while your case is pending, and making any improvements while your case is pending can help the outcome in the end.

So here's a five-point action plan on what you should do if you or a loved one has been arrested. If you have any other questions, give me a call. My name is Nathan Vining. I'm a criminal defense attorney in Indiana, and I'd be happy to help.