Criminal Defense Attorney: Scott Stewart

There can be many situations where a person would need to hire a defense attorney. First, if you are the target of an investigation, you should hire an attorney prior to ever speaking with the police and also in the even you're eventually arrested you will have already lined up legal representation, which substantially increases the likelihood that you will not spend as much time in jail. Second, if you have been arrested then you will want to hire a lawyer as quickly as possible to both get you out of jail and began your representation. The earlier you hire an attorney the quicker they can start an investigation and mount a vigorous defense.

An arrest starts the legal process and the first court date is usually your initial appearance. If possible, you want to hire an attorney to show at this hearing because it will increase the chances of you getting released when the judge sets your release conditions. You can still hire an attorney after this hearing and your lawyer can file a motion to try and get you out of jail but it gets more difficult the longer you wait. The next series of court dates and appearances will depend on several factors such as the type of crime, the seriousness (felony or misdemeanor) and if you are in jail or out of jail. The best thing you can do is hire a lawyer as quickly as possible.