California Criminal Defense for the Civil Practitioner
A Nuts and Bolts Primer
As a Civil Litigator, you may find yourself in the position of assisting a former or new client in handling what initially appears to be a relatively simple criminal matter. This “nuts and bolts” primer will give you a roadmap through some of the Criminal Justice System pitfalls you may encounter on your trip and alert you when you need the assistance of an experienced criminal attorney.
That Midnight Phone call
The surprise “midnight phone call” from a client who’s just been arrested is not an uncommon occurrence. When this happens (and it will…) you need to know the quickest way to handle your client’s release. That is going to be through the assistance of a bail bonds person. What if you client is unable to post a bond? Try to have their bail reduced by a bail commissioner, if not, you’ll have to prepare for the first court appearance called “the arraignment”. At the arraignment, a bail hearing can be made to try to successfully have your client released.
