The time period after your arrest may be confusing and frustrating, especially if you have not experienced the criminal justice system before. You will probably not be given access to a phone, at least not right away, and your family may be looking for you if they are not aware that you have been arrested. If they are aware of the possibility of you being arrested, your family may have contacted a San Diego criminal defense lawyer to try to get more information.

The usual process after a defendant is arrested is to take the defendant from the stationhouse to the county jail and then to the courthouse for the initial appearance. You may be taken to central booking as well, depending on how the booking procedure works in your jurisdiction. The routine might be different if you are arrested on the weekend or at night.

If you were aware of the possibility of getting arrested beforehand and informed your San Diego criminal defense attorney to be prepared ahead of time, your attorney will be making inquiries to try to ascertain your status in the system. This will also happen if a family member retained an attorney for your case. The attorney will call various agencies to try to find out your whereabouts and when you are expected to arrive in court.

Sometimes, this process may require a little detective work by your San Diego criminal defense attorney, especially if it is not immediately apparent who the arresting authority in your case was. Your attorney may need to follow the trail backward, from court to jail to central booking to the district or precinct where you were arrested. Eventually, if all goes well, your attorney will find out where you are being held.

Once this is done, your San Diego criminal defense lawyer will try to find out how long you are expected to be detained and whether bail is an option. It may also help to find out if you are allowed family visits while in detention.

Once you are arrested, get legal counsel from an experienced San Diego criminal defense lawyer. Call Attorney James V. Hairgrove at 619-667-3743.