What Happens When a Person is Charged with a Crime?

There are certain procedures that must be followed after someone is arrested or charged with a crime. Ultimately, it’s important to always secure legal representation after being charged. At Shah Law Firm, we have years of experience helping individuals to fight their criminal charges in Arizona.

How it Works

A person may be charged before they are even arrested. If this happens, a judge issues a warrant for their arrest. A police officer will try to locate the person. If they find them, they arrest them, and the police must give the person a copy of the warrant with the charges on it. In other instances, someone is arrested and then booked at the police department. This means they must fill out paperwork and have their fingerprints taken.

The person charged is held in police custody pending a court hearing that typically takes place within 48 hours. When the person is in police custody, they have the right to an attorney. They also should be able to meet with their attorney before their court hearing briefly. At the court hearing, someone can enter a plea of no contest, not guilty, or guilty. They then can be bailed out and released until their court date.

Call to Speak to Criminal Attorneys Today

It’s important that you have expert legal counsel by your side when you’ve been charged with a crime. At Shah Law Firm, we have immense experience helping those like you to resolve your criminal matters. We offer no-cost legal consultations where you can learn more about what we offer, and you can ask any questions you have about your charges or the legal process. To schedule this consultation with a Phoenix criminal defense attorney, call our Arizona law office today at 602-560-7408. We serve clients in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Mesa, Tempe, Goodyear, and Apache Junction, AZ.