If you have been charged with a crime in St. George Utah, there are a number of things to expect. If you are charged with a more serious crime such as any felony, you will most likely be arrested and booked into the Washington County Jail. A bail amount will be set and you will have a an initial appearance before a judge usually within a day or two. If the crime is not as serious, a lower level misdemeanor such as retail theft for instance, you may not be booked at all. Rather, the officer involved may decide to simply write you out a citation and you are expecting to contact the court for your first court date within a certain period of time. However, even if you are only being charged with a misdemeanor, if the charge involved any violence, such as an assault, domestic violence, etc., you will most likely be arrested and booked in jail. Almost all DUIs result in an arrest and booking.
After You are Released
Once you are able to bail out, you should consult with a St. George Criminal Defense Attorney as soon as possible before taking any further steps in defense of your case. Depending on your charges, your next court date may be an arraignment or something else. Either way, you need help from an attorney as early as possible in the case to prevent any further problems.
Plea Agreements
Most cases are resolved by plea agreements at some point before the case gets close to a trial. Indeed, the vast majority of cases are resolved after your defense lawyer is able to reach an acceptable plea agreement thereby mitigating your risks of trial.
Patience is Key
Often the criminal justice system moves slowly so patience can be key to getting the best resolution possible. Be prepared for a month plus long process not a week process. If you have been charged, we can assess your particular set of facts and give you legal opinion on what to expect. Contact us as soon as possible.