Anthony M. Salerno

Attorney At Law

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Anthony M. Salerno

Attorney At Law

Do not give in to fear after an arrest

A typical arrest report usually has accused people confused and scared. It is natural to feel this way when facing criminal charges. In this type of situation, we would recommend you attempt to look at your situation from a rational, results-oriented perspective. 

You should never let fear dictate your actions in a legal setting. Although there are serious consequences associated with criminal convictions, your arrest and the eventual decision of the court are two entirely different matters separated by long hours of legal procedure. 

Analyze the charges 

Your first step after an arrest would probably be to take a look at exactly what is on your report. For example, assault and domestic assault are two very different things. There are also various degrees of nearly every criminal offense out there. These details matter. 

You should consider spending a decent amount of time researching every single item on your arrest report before you even begin to consider making any type of deal. What you do not know, the prosecutor will probably use against you. 

Consider the evidence 

Your next step would be to think about what actually happened leading up to your arrest. What kind of information could the arresting officers have gathered — and how did they acquire it? What statements have you made? What types of physical evidence could the state hold? 

Put it all in context 

Finally, you would be ready to place each item on your arrest report in the specific context of your unique case. With all the factors considered, and with the statutory law and decisions on previous, similar cases in mind, you could proceed with your negotiations. 

Unfortunately, there is really no way around any of these steps if you want to form an effective criminal defense. Even if the police and prosecutors seem to offer you an easier way out of your charges, keep in mind that they have no obligation to act in your best interest.