Being arrested is going to be a stressful experience whether you believe you did anything illegal or not. Knowing you have not done anything can be comforting as the police make mistakes on who is charged in various incidents. The police might not have all of the information that is needed from security footage and additional witnesses. The following are tips to manage your arrest so you career is impacted very little.
Get A Lawyer You Know Can Manage Your Case Efficiently
A criminal defense attorney will be one that you should hire on your own as public defenders are often swamped with cases. An experienced attorney will be a huge advantage as they likely already have worked with a specific prosecutor or won a trial with a specific judge. The best-case scenario is that your charges are dropped early in the process due to a lack of evidence.
Your case and charge are extremely important when considering an attorney. There are lawyers that work with cases like DUI while others specialize in drug possession cases. Asking for trial results is important as you can see that the lawyer fights for their client and can win. Most of the time, getting a plea deal will be enough for a client but some want to fight their charges. Details like having certain evidence left out can make all of the difference when a case goes to trial.
Don’t Inform Your Employer Unless It Is Company Policy
You might want to tell your employer that you have been arrested if it is company policy. Convictions should be told to your employer as you are innocent until proven guilty. You could have been arrested unjustly which should not cost you your job. If you drive for a living, a DUI charge is something that you have to tell your employer. Another thing that can happen is somebody steals something from a store without your knowledge and you are both arrested for it. Theft is taken seriously in business as employers want staff that they can trust.
Remote Employees Have An Advantage
There are a number of court hearings that can be done remotely in today’s world. Not all states or counties have this available but it is something you should ask your attorney. Asking to work from home on days that you have court can work wonders. Most employers are far more flexible when it comes to remote work as their staff performed immensely well during the pandemic. Even saying that you have a dental or doctor appointment might be enough to allow you to work from home. You will be notified before court about when you have to appear so this can make planning far easier.
Managing an arrest can be tough especially when you are looking for a new job. You do not want to lie on job applications about this as a background check will show what you stated is untrue. Make sure that you fight your charges with the right attorney to minimize the damage done to your career and reputation.
