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BC-1986 · 02-20-2012, 02:01 PM

So I was arrested earlier this morning. This is my first time arrested and attempting to pickup anyone too.

I'm confused and seeking guidance, anyone around to provide me with some?

Grizzly · 02-20-2012, 02:02 PM

Keep your mouth shut and call a lawyer

Guest102513-1 · 02-20-2012, 02:56 PM

+111111111 to oenghus suggestion

Under any circumstance....keep your mouth shut. However at this point you are beyond the critical moment of the arrest. But I would urge you to stay the course of keeping ya mouth shut.

The second point...getting a lawyer, some will disagree with. Saying the cost of the lawyer and their own ability to handle things...negative hiring the lawyer.

Hey it's their choice...to each their own.

Me personally, I feel hiring a lawyer is the thing to do. He/she will now handle ALL communications from this point forward (nice for a variety of reasons). Cops can make honest mistakes during the arrest. DA's office can make honest mistakes during their side of the legal process. Good lawyer turns those things to your advantage.

Worse case, unless you were busted for anything else, a good lawyer, if he can not make it go away, will have it ultimately written down to some little shit...thus decreasing elimanting attending classes, having something like this on your record, etc, etc.

But pick a good lawyer...not some traffic-court lawyer.

Don't panic or feel totally down. Is this a hassle...yes. Is this going to cost you a couple of bucks...yes. But as long as there were no other factors in your arrest, it is not as frightening experience as you might think

SIDEPOINT: If anyone enjoys the hobby on a regular basis....pick now who your lawyer is, don't wait until after you are arrested. Spend a hour of your time visiting your lawyer. let him know who you are NOW...don't wait until after you are arrested to get to know your lawyer.
I make it a point to a couple of times a year, take my lawyer out to lunch...just to stay in touch. Now the taking out to lunch part, is not required. But at a minuim making a point a couple times a year...give him/her a call. Staying in touch can only help.

If the day comes you get arrested. I have several of my lawyer's card in my wallet. I would keep my mouth shut. Ask the police officer if I am free to leave b4 questions start. If not, I hand him my lawyer's card, and respectfully tell him my lawyer will do all future speaking on my behave.

Last point, which tends to be forgotten...pre-pick your bondsman. If you get arrest in middle of night, do the above, but IF you need to be posted out of jail...no matter how good your lawyer is, he probably is not going to be much help in the middle of the night.

I got my referral for bondsman, from my lawyer....he knows who to pick. But like my attorney, I stay in contact with my bondsman a couple of times a year. I don't take him out to lunch...but I do call him. I don't want to find out my bondsman is no longer in business, when I need him in the middle of the night

ez2plz · 02-20-2012, 02:57 PM

Oenghus is right. LE is not your friend and will try and trap you into saying things that are inconsistent. Be polite, but say nothing other than your name, and get yourself legal representation. Tell them you will be happt to talk with them after you have talked to your lawyer.

Does anybody have a particular lawyer they would like to recommend?

BC-1986 · 02-20-2012, 03:00 PM

Any lawyer recommendations guys? I gave them the basic info that my driver license has available, and the fact that this was the first time I decided to finally go the distance.

My main worry is about jail and future issues with jobs.

Guest121212 · 02-20-2012, 03:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BC-1986

Any lawyer recommendations guys?

KURT MARQUART
911 MAIN ST
KANSAS CITY, MO 64105-2009
(816) 421-5063

BC-1986 · 02-20-2012, 03:10 PM

Thank you Jackie.

Grizzly · 02-20-2012, 03:50 PM

And try not to spread to much detail in the open on this board and just lay low and let it blow over.

I am not in KC so do not know any lawyers and was about to suggest you emailing Jackie or someone but Jackie beat me to it.

your awesome Jackie

BigDeal · 02-20-2012, 04:37 PM

If you were arrested already you may have already talked...Hope not....
But Lawyer up as jackie was kind enough to help and not withstanding your background...if somewhat clean you "should" No gaurantees obviously just get probation....you can also shoot for an SIS (suspended imposition of sentence) which based on your background and any other circumstances regarding the arrest can get the conviction sealed or wiped off if you do all the right things (counseling, testing, etc etc)

good luck

1hungkcmale4u · 02-20-2012, 04:41 PM

KC MO side or Kansas side BC? Just relax and listen to the great advice that others have just given, but I am guessing the "say nothing" advice may be too late as the cops will have already questioned you at the scene. In KCMO, they will issue you a ticket, not arrest you, but I have heard that they like to get you to incriminate yourself further and if you refuse, they will intimidate you by threatening to call the wagon and send you to jail. This is a violation of your constitutional rights, as you have the right to REMAIN SILENT.

With that said, regardless of what you may have told the cops, in KCMO any lawyer can get it reduced to a "disturbing the peace" type of ticket. The Court fine in 500, lawyer fee will range from 1000-1500 on top of that. This should not affect your future job stuff, as it is just a municipal charge. This is not true if you are in or thinking of joining the military. As part of the plea, you will have to attend a short, discrete class on the dangers of the hobby.

If absolutely necessary, a good lawyer can make it go away completely, but you would be looking at 3k plus one-on-one counseling sessions.

1hungkcmale4u · 02-20-2012, 04:43 PM

I should have added that you can go speak to the prosecutor yourself and depending on who you get, they may be willing to amend it without a lawyer, but its not a sure thing.

dirty dog · 02-20-2012, 05:08 PM

Get a lawyer, the jails are full of guys who thought they knew what to do, its not what you know about the law that makes you a great lawyer, its your connections, who you went to school with, what country club the lawyer belongs to and who the other members are etc. Most of the time, current criminal defense lawyers were at one time prosecuting attorneys and know people in the prosecutors office. A great attorny has the connections and the skills, Kurt Maquart is very good, if thats does not work I recommend Kevin Reagan of the Reagan law offices. Kev has been my personal savior throughout the years in municiple, state and several Federal charges.

JRLawrence · 02-20-2012, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirty dog

Get a lawyer, the jails are full of guys who thought they knew what to do, its not what you know about the law that makes you a great lawyer, its your connections, who you went to school with, what country club the lawyer belongs to and who the other members are etc. Most of the time, current criminal defense lawyers were at one time prosecuting attorneys and know people in the prosecutors office. A great attorny has the connections and the skills, Kurt Maquart is very good, if thats does not work I recommend Kevin Reagan of the Reagan law offices. Kev has been my personal savior throughout the years in municiple, state and several Federal charges.

Good point! In those states where the judges run for election (Texas comes to mind), it is a common practice for an attorney to contribute to election of a judge, any judge he may draw for a case. It is also common for some lawyers to do nice things for a police department, such a buying some bulletproof vests, or better weapons, or contribute to a Christmas fund. Nothing illegal here, this is not even a sick bird. But what an officer is on the stand he can give a little more favorable answer to an attorney who is nice to the department. This is not just a small town thing. The legal community is a club, play by their rules and pay your dues.

JR

ez2plz · 02-20-2012, 05:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BC-1986

....I gave them the basic info that my driver license has available, and the fact that this was the first time I decided to finally go the distance....

That last piece of info sounds an awful lot like an admission of guilt, and was way more than what you should have said. It's probably why you got arrested. You NEED a lawyer.

Guest121212 · 02-20-2012, 05:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dirty dog

A great attorny has the connections and the skills, Kurt Maquart is very good, if thats does not work I recommend Kevin Reagan of the Reagan law offices. Kev has been my personal savior throughout the years in municiple, state and several Federal charges.

Kevin is an excellent attorney also and very well connected . . . BTW, if anyone ever needs a recommend for the Kansas side, OUTSIDE of Johnson County proper -

http://www.jeroldeberger.com/

One of Kansas' (if not the entire Midwest's) best. He will come over into JoCo, but usually only for high profile criminal or boilerplate stuff (like restraining orders, etc.).