Phoenix DUI Lawyer Blog

Gilbert AZ criminal defense | Gilbert AZ DUI Lawyer

A key factor in getting a successful outcome for you is early retention of a private practice criminal or DUI defense lawyer who defends cases in Gilbert AZ.
After a DUI arrest in Gilbert Arizona you will have your Initial Appearance before the Gilbert Court within the next 48 hours. It is important that you or someone on your behalf has consulted a criminal defense attorney or DUI lawyer who defends charges in Gilbert AZ on a regular basis, before that time or as soon as possible.

Initial Appearance in Gilbert AZ Court
Your initial appearance is the first phase through the Gilbert AZ criminal justice system. You will appear before the judge in the Gilbert court if that is where you were arrested following your DUI stop. There, the following will take place:

1) You will be read your formal DUI or criminal charges (or complaint).
2) You will be given your release conditions.
3) You will be given your next court date, time and location.
4) You will let the Judge know you plan to or will be retaining a private criminal or DUI attorney to defend you and provide their contact information to the court. If you are unable to retain private legal representation, the court will allow you to fill out an initial screening questionnaire to determine if you qualify to be assigned to a court appointed attorney (public defender).

Tips to Follow After Your Initial Appearance in Gilbert Court
• Do not discuss your case with anyone accept your own criminal defense Attorney
• Do not discuss your case with any police officer or investigator, no matter how polite or courteous they may seem. Simply let them know you are being represented by a defense attorney, and advise them to contact your attorney. Any statement you make to them can damage your defense and be used against you.
• Do not discuss your case with family or friends by phone, or in person. Anything you say even to family members, friends, or acquaintances can be used against you in court. And those persons can be subpoenaed to appear in court to testify against you.
• Keep Your Attorney's contact information with you or available to you at all times.
• Follow the instructions your Gilbert criminal defense attorney or Gilbert DUI lawyer gives you and provide all documentation they are requesting from you. This is what they are trained and have experience doing every day. Their goal should be to provide you the most effective defense possible in order to get you the best outcome.
• Your chances of getting your DUI or criminal charges dismissed, sentencing reduced, evidence suppressed or other favorable outcome, significantly increase when you hire a private criminal defense or DUI lawyer who defends charges in Gilbert AZ. One thing most Good Criminal Attorneys in Gilbert agree upon is this: A major factor in getting a successful outcome for you is early retention of a criminal or DUI defense lawyer.
• Before you make your decision, find out as much as you can about that attorney.