Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer
Just one night of hanging out with friends can be life changing. We aren’t talking about getting the Wolfpack together and trying to piece together your adventures the morning after. The fact remains that when you go out and do things you normally would not you have to be careful. Getting arrested in Rhode Island is no joke at all. Whether you decided to relive some old memories and you got arrested for smoking pot, or you were just excited and were simply driving too fast. The fact remains that when you get arrested you have to take care of things quickly, and one of those things is hiring a Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer. This article will cover why you need a Top Providence Criminal Defense Attorney when you are arrested and what they can do to help you.
What Happens After You Are Arrested
When you get arrested, there are a couple of things that are going to happen. First you are going to be brought to the police station for processing. This includes collecting your personal information, having your photo taken as well as your fingerprints. At this point you will should be granted the ability to contact a Rhode Island Criminal Defense attorney. Do you know who you should call? It does not hurt to have an attorney’s number on your phone or to have their business card. You want to make sure you are contacting a Rhode Island Criminal Defense attorney who works 24 hours a day. After you have contacted your attorney, it will be time for your arraignment. In this situation, you are going to be brought before a judge so that they can hear your plea and in most cases set your bail amount.
Once you get your bail posted you are going to have to meet your Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer for a pre-trial conference. During this time, your attorney will have received any police reports and witness accounts of the event and go over with you at length what his plan is for the trial so that you can be prepared. This is important for you so that you can understand your part in the trial and ask your Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer any questions you may have about your case. After this meeting, you will move on to the trial phase.
In the trial phase, you are going to have to go to the courtroom and go before a judge. The judge will hear both your Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer’s defense as well as what the state has against you. In this situation, it is best to keep calm and do as your attorney has coached you. Over reacting and getting upset is not going to help you in any way. After you trial, you will get your verdict. We hope that you get off your charges but if you not you will likely be eligible to file an appeal. These cases then completely restart, and obviously the process begins again but this time in superior court.
Hiring The Right Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer
When you need the best Rhode Island Criminal Defense Lawyer contact The Law Office of Chad F Bank. Chad will work with you every step of the way to do his best to ensure you won’t need to an appeal because he wants you to win your case. If you would like to contact our office for a free consultation we are available hours a day at 401-573-2265.
One of the most difficult things you, as a defendant, will have to go through when you’ve been arrested is building your Rhode Island criminal defense. And, perhaps you have a right to be concerned: the prosecutor assigned to your case is going to do anything within his/her power to convict you of whatever crime you’re being accused of. But at the law office of Chad F Bank we understand the importance of hiring a good Rhode Island criminal defense lawyer, and we are pleased to work with you to help you mount that defense.
Why is hiring a good Rhode Island criminal defense lawyer important?
In 2009, Sarah Ribstein wrote a dissertation about the costs of criminal defense in general – which can be applied to Rhode Island criminal defense in particular – and how expensive it can be to keep yourself out of jail.
There are a few reasons, per Ribstein, why this is so:
- The nature of the criminal justice system: The criminal justice system in America doesn’t work overnight. When you are arrested for a crime, you have 72 hours to get arraigned for that crime, but it can take nine months – or even a year – before your case goes to trial. This gives you time to hire a great Rhode Island criminal defense lawyer.
- The burden of proof: One of the things to understand about any criminal charge is that the burden of proof lies, not on you as the defendant, but on the prosecutor. What this means is, the prosecutor must be able to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that you did, in fact, commit the crime. If s/he cannot do so, you must – under the statute of law – be found not guilty of the crime. However, the actual trial process – that is to say, what happens in a court of law once you go before the judge – can take a while, as well. The good news is, this also means that you have time to hire a strong Rhode Island criminal defense lawyer.
In short, and in summary, while it can seem expensive to hire a good Rhode Island criminal defense lawyer, it’s even more expensive to not do so. Failure to mount the best possible criminal defense can lead to losing your money, your license, and even your freedom! That’s why the law offices of Chad F Bank is here to help you. For more than 19 years Chad Bank has been helping Rhode Island residents defend themselves in a court of law. He’s also pleased to offer a free no obligation consultation to all his potential clients. Come see us in our Downtown Providence office so we can discuss the details of your case. Contact The Law Office of Chad F Bank, today, and let’s work together to mount a flawless Rhode Island criminal defense!