If you’ve been arrested, you and your family are undoubtedly very concerned about what will happen to you.  Here are a few tips about what NOT to do, and what TO do if you’re been arrested.

WHAT TO DO: First and foremost – contact a criminal attorney in your area as soon as possible.  An attorney can help you get released, or can help you post bail, and will also explain your legal options.  Most importantly, an attorney will basically take over in terms of dealing with the police and with the prosecuting attorney. To find a criminal defense attorney in your area, click here: www.lawinfo.com.

You may be able to get out of jail either on your “own recognizance,” whereby you promise the court you’ll return at a later date and they believe you, or by posting bail.  Bail is basically money given to the court in exchange for your promise to return to court at a later date.  If you can’t post the entire bail amount, you may be able to get a bail bond by paying a bondsperson a bail premium.  If bail is set excessively high, your attorney may be able to negotiate it down with the court. 

WHAT NOT TO DO:  Remember – you have the right to remain silent and have an attorney present during police questioning. So, BE CAREFUL WHAT YOU SAY!  Even if the police aren’t in immediate earshot… they might still be able to hear anything you say, including in the police car, in the prison yard, or elsewhere on the jail grounds. Also, don’t make any decisions about what to do in your case until you talk to your lawyer – this includes decisions about whether or not to take a plea bargain, comment on another case, provide information about other suspects or discuss any of the facts of your situation.   

Also, don’t get into more trouble by having a bad attitude, “mouthing off” or getting into fights. Altercations with the police, prison guards or others in jail is only likely to make your situation worse, not better.

Are you facing a legal issue?  Have you been sued, or are you wondering about foreclosure?  Did you just have a medical procedure that didn’t turn out as you expected?  Is bankruptcy looming?  What about your family life – are you and your spouse considering divorce?  Do you need to update your will?  Has someone you love been arrested for a DUI? 

These are examples of only some of the most common legal issues.  The fact is we actually deal with the law more than most people think.  More importantly, when we face a legal issue, many of us might not know where to turn for answers.  The legal system can certainly be overwhelming – especially because the consequences are often so grave. 

Since 1994, LawInfo has been providing the public with quality legal resources they can count on.  The idea for the company even came out of the founder’s own legal needs!  How do you find the right attorney?  How do you know the attorneys you contact are in good standing with the state bar association?  What if you want to learn about a legal issue before you talk to a lawyer?  Well, these are the reasons LawInfo was established!  LawInfo has a whole library of information about the most common legal issues including answers to frequently asked questions, articles, legal guides, legal forms, and other information – ALL FREE TO THE PUBLIC!  The really great thing is this – you can also easily find an attorney who will understand your legal needs.  It’s all designed to help the public – help someone find answers they need and find an attorney who can help them. 

Learn more about LawInfo’s Free Legal Resource Center and Find the Right Attorney in your area today!

Naomi Campbell has once again graced the world with her model behavior. The 37-year-old British supermodel was arrested at Heathrow Airport’s Terminal 5 on Thursday, April 3, for allegedly spitting at a police officer after one of her bags was lost. London’s Metropolitan Police said Campbell was released from the airport police station just after midnight pending further inquiries, and was told to report to a police station in late May. Campbell has a history of getting physical with assistants and employees, but spitting on a police officer is considered a felony in most jurisdictions, and could cause the fashion queen to be pacing her million-dollar catwalk legs back-and-forth in a jail cell.

Spitting on another person is rude and vile behavior, and although it does not usually cause any injuries or induce physical pain, it legally falls within the scope of offensive touching—which constitutes battery. For the record, battery is the willful or intentional touching of a person against that person’s will by another person, or by an object or substance put in motion by the other person, such as a baseball, or in this case, saliva. A defendant who spits on a plaintiff, even though there is little chance that the spitting will cause any injury other than to the plaintiff’s dignity, has indeed committed battery and can be charged with a misdemeanor that is punishable by fines and possible jail time, depending on the circumstances of the case and applicable state laws.

However, spitting on a police officer, fireman or other civil service member is deemed a felony assault, and the consequences that can follow are more severe; i.e. punishable by thousands of dollars in fines and mandatory jail time, also depending on the circumstances of the case.

Thus, in the future Miss Campbell might want to think it over before she spits on another figure of authority. Perhaps she will keep her infamous mouth closed and opt to use her saliva in a more befitting, yet undoubtedly uncommon way…for food digestion.

If you have been the victim of a spit-attack, and want to learn more about your legal rights, contact a Lead Counsel Criminal Defense Attorney in your area today to discuss the litigation options available to you.

Sept. 12 _ Simpson checks into the Palms hotel-casino for a friend’s wedding and parties late at a casino nightclub.

Sept. 13 _ Simpson contacts former golf buddies Clarence Stewart of North Las Vegas and Walter Alexander of Mesa, Ariz., who were also in Las Vegas for the wedding. They discuss a plan to take sports memorabilia from dealers Alfred Beardsley and Bruce Fromong.

About 7:30 p.m., police say, the three men and three others meet broker Tom Riccio, rush into a hotel room at the Palace Station casino and seize items at gunpoint from Beardsley and Fromong. Beardsley and Fromong report incident as armed robbery. Simpson is questioned at the Palms hotel.

Sept. 14 _ Police name Simpson as a target of investigation. Simpson is again questioned by police. Simpson tells The Associated Press no guns were involved and some of the items belonged to him.

Sept. 15 _ Police arrest Alexander at McCarran International Airport, question him and charge him with assault and armed robbery. He is released without bail. Simpson attends the wedding of his friend, Tom Scotto, at the Little White Wedding Chapel.

Sept. 16 _ Simpson is arrested at the Palms, questioned by police, arrested and booked into the Clark County jail on felony armed robbery, assault and conspiracy charges. A judge orders him held without bail. Police announce they are seeking several other men.

Sept. 17 _ Stewart surrenders to police, turns over items believed to be taken from Beardsley and Fromong, and is released on $78,000 bail. Fromong suffers a heart attack and is hospitalized in Los Angeles.

Sept. 18 _ Michael McClinton surrenders to police. Prosecutors formally charge Simpson, McClinton, Stewart and Alexander with nine felonies including kidnapping, which carries a possible life sentence. Simpson is charged with an additional felony count of coercion with a deadly weapon.

Sept. 19 _ A judge sets $125,000 bail for Simpson, who posts bond, is released from jail and returns home to Florida. Beardsley is arrested in Las Vegas on a California parole violation. Charles Cashmore, of Las Vegas, surrenders.

Sept. 20 _ Beardsley appears in Las Vegas court, waives extradition to California and is ordered held without bail.

Sept. 21 _ Cashmore is arraigned and Charles Ehrlich, of the Miami area, turns himself in on felony charges. A judge sets bail for both at $32,000.