We offer a service called pre-charging representation so that you can have representation if you suspect that you will be arrested. Sometimes people know that they are going to be accused of a crime, perhaps they are being investigated, and it is really important to get an attorney on your side right away. This way, we can monitor the case for you and determine whether or not charges have actually been filed against you or if it’s just a pending investigation. An attorney should be the one tracking the status of the case for you because you can put yourself in a precarious situation if you personally call the police department or the DAs office to see whether or not you’ve been charged with a crime. Your attorney will be able to update you on the status of the investigation and also make public records request for you to gain access to police reports. This will give you and your attorney the opportunity to see what it is that you are being investigated for.

Additionally, part of the service our office provides in pre-charging representation is that we serve as a buffer between investigators, detectives, law enforcement and yourself. If someone came knocking at your door trying to get a statement from you, you are actually able to say that you have an attorney and direct them to talk to my attorney instead of answering any questions. It doesn’t matter whether or not they perceive that as you being guilty or having something to hide, what matters is that you are preserving your right to be free from self-incrimination and not making any statements that could be used against you at a later time. It is really important to be overly cautious because there is no way that you are going to talk yourself out of an investigation. The best thing to do is to keep quiet and to hire an attorney to handle everything for you.