Prepare For Your Arrest With These Two Tips
ShareMost times people don't know they're going to be arrested for a crime. It's usually spontaneous and in reaction to a situation that had just developed, or the police just show up at the defendant's home unexpectedly with a warrant. If you have the privilege of knowing in advance that you're going to get picked up law enforcement agents, here are two things you can do to help prepare.
Make Arrangement for Your Life Obligations
Use your free time to make arrangements for the various obligations in your life that depend on your presence, starting with the most pressing. For example,
- Have a friend or family member babysit your children
- Call your job and let them know you won't be in to work for a while
- Set up bill payments for expenses that come due while you're in jail
- Put important paperwork (e.g. identification, bank book, insurance policy) in a place where a trusted person can find them
- Make sure your will, healthcare directive, power of attorney and similar paperwork are up to date and accessible
Some of these things may seem unnecessary (e.g. do you really need to leave a will?). However, you won't know how long you'll be in jail and anything can happen while you're there, so it's best to be as prepared as much as possible.
Prepare for Your Release
Just because you're arrested for a crime doesn't mean you'll languish in jail indefinitely. Unless you're being charged with a capital crime or severe felony, chances are good the judge will order bail set in your case. This means you can go home as soon as you post the amount required, so start gathering together your financial resources.
You can pay the bail directly to the court. If you don't have the money or the amount is too high for the resources you have available, you can work with a bail bond company who'll front the money for you. You will have to pay a non-refundable fee for this service—anywhere from 10 to 20 percent of bail amount—but this fee is typically much less than what you'd have to pay the court for your freedom.
Lastly, don't forget to arrange for a ride home, and make an appointment to meet with your attorney as soon as possible so you can start building your defense.
For more tips on dealing with an arrest or help getting bailed out of jail after being taken into custody, contact a local bail bonds service.