You were arrested, but no charges have been filed. You may think that hiring a criminal defense attorney at this “pre-filing” stage or “investigation” stage is not necessary.
On the contrary, hiring an attorney is very important at this stage because critical decisions are being made about your case. Having the right criminal defense attorney can mean the difference between the District Attorney filing formal charges or the announcement that the case has been dropped against you.
What Happens At the “Pre-Filing” Stage?
At the “pre-filing” stage, the police agency that arrested you needs to do a thorough investigation. Upon the completion of their investigation, your case is turned over to the District Attorney for consideration of filing formal charges.
Although some attorneys prefer a “wait and see” tactic at this critical stage, the more aggressive criminal defense attorneys take a more proactive approach to prevent the detectives from gaining damaging statements, information and other data about your case. In addition, by hiring the right criminal defense attorney, you can also provide the district attorney with positive information about your side of the story that may tip the district attorney into dropping the case. The bottom line is that it is never too early to hire a good criminal defense attorney to protect your legal rights and prevent the filing of formal charges against you.
Call an Experienced Los Angeles Criminal Defense Attorney
For more information or to schedule a complimentary consultation with Los Angeles criminal defense attorney Simon Aval, please call us at (800) 209-9808 or complete our online form. Mr. Aval is a Certified Specialist in criminal law by the state bar of California.