CRIMINAL SERVICES

If you’ve been arrested and charged with a crime, your mind is probably racing with a million questions such as am I going to jail or what will my family think? At  MRLS when we are asked why we do what we do, what they usually mean is “how can you represent those people?” Our response is always the same. What if you were THOSE people? Often implicit in such a question is a sense that defending “criminals” is at best in a gray area of social acceptability and at worst downright immoral.  

 

Know this if you’re ever facing criminal charges, your team at MRLS will be there to stand up and fight for you.  As they seek to drag you through the gates of hell and ruin the name and reputation you have worked your entire life to build we will be there to stand against them all - your last and best hope.

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WHAT TO EXPECT DURING THE PROCESS AND STEPS TO PREPARE FOR YOUR STRATEGY SESSION

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After you have completed an initial consultation with our admin team and we have decided we are a good fit, an invoice and contract will be sent to the email address you provided to us. Once the contract is signed and returned and the invoice paid, we will schedule a strategy session for you. 

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Our first step in the strategy is most important: Do NOT post about your pending matter on social media! By posting about it on your social media channels, you can damage your case before it even begins. Do not share details about your arrest, pending charges, or any aspect of your criminal case on social media.  While your case is proceeding, your safest bet is to take a complete break from social media.

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The next thing you will do is gather the following documents in addition to your driver’s license or another form of legal identification and bring them to your strategy session:

• police reports

• the criminal charges/tickets

• details on your next court date

 

Also, bring any items that you think could be useful as evidence such as photos, texts, emails, voicemails, videos, receipts, etc. If you’re not sure if something will help, bring it anyway. The more information the better.

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Third, create a chronological narrative, or journal, of the events before, during, and after the incident in question. Include as many specific details as you can remember, including dates, times, street addresses, makes and models of cars, descriptions of rooms and people, weapon types, etc.

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List all the people who were there when the alleged crime occurred. Write down specific things people said and any unusual details you can remember.

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Describe when the police arrived. Include details such as how the police approached you as well as what they said before, during, and after your arrest. Be very detailed here.

Create a witness list of who was there at the time of the incident. Make a list of their full names and contact information. Also include your relationship with each person – neighbor, co-worker, aunt, for example.

You should also include any information on anyone who might have damaging evidence against you to be as prepared as possible.

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Last, do NOT bring anyone such as family or friends with you.  Although a friend or family member would want to be there to offer support, ask them to stay home for your strategy session. Not only could they be a possible distraction during this important time, but their presence could waive your right against incriminating yourself and your attorney/client protection/privilege. 

 

After the initial strategy session, our team will request discovery on your case from the prosecutor. Once discovery is obtained, we will schedule a final strategy session with you to go over it, discuss possible negotiations with the prosecutor,  and the direction we believe the case will go. Throughout the course of your case, MRLS will keep you updated regularly on any status changes or new information. We also ask that you submit any new information you may have to us promptly by emailing support@mreidlaw.com (subject line should read: NEW CLIENT INFO LAST NAME, FIRST). 

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