The First Five Steps To Take When Someone Is Arrested
In the stressful first 24 hours when someone is arrested with a Greensboro criminal charge, knowing what to do right away can be critical. Friends and family want to take action as quickly as possible. There are so many things that immediately begin to happen before someone even has their first court appearance. At Aberle and Wall we use our experience as criminal defense lawyers to educate our clients, their loved ones and the community about what they can do to help. Here are steps you can take, terms you will need to know and what you can do to help in the crucial first hours.
Get Bond Information
First, contact the jail and find out what the bond is on the case. In Guilford County, you can either call the Greensboro Jail at 336-641-6726, the High Point Jail at 336-641-7900 or try the website https://guilfordcountysheriff.policetocitizen.com/Inmates/Catalog. Keep in mind that the website is not updated in real time and there may be a delay before a recently arrested person is entered in their system. Also, the website will not list anyone under the age of 18.
If you call the Guilford County Jail, you should ask for the charges, bond amount and when the first appearance will be held. If you prefer, you can reach out to Aberle and Wall and we will look up these answers immediately.
If your loved one is given a written promise to appear or an unsecured bond, he or she will be released shortly after being processed at the Guilford County Jail. If the magistrate issues a secured bond and no one is able to pay it, then you will want to attend the first appearance. First appearances in Guilford County Court happen at different times depending on the day of the week and whether the case is in High Point or Greensboro.
Call a Greensboro Criminal Defense Lawyer
Call Aberle and Wall for a free consultation with one of our Greensboro trial lawyers to find out what an attorney says are the most important issues to deal with first. If you act quickly, you can hire one of our attorneys to go to the first appearance where we will present information to the judge to help keep the bond as low as possible.
Provide Helpful Information to Court Services
One other thing to know is that in the Guilford County Court System there is a department called Court Services. Court Services has offices in both the Greensboro and High Point Courthouses. They exist to increase communication between the jail and the court system and to manage the number of inmates in jail who are awaiting trial. They collect information about each inmate before the first appearance to present it to the judge. They will want to know about each person’s employment, where they live, their prior criminal history, community support and other relevant factors that a judge may consider in setting a bond. You can contact their offices in Greensboro at 336-641-2660 or in High Point at 336-641-2674 to assist them in preparing for the first appearance.
You will want to give Court Services proof of your loved one’s employment or enrollment in school, their ties to the community and their address. It is also very helpful to provide reasons that they are not a flight risk and will attend their upcoming court dates.
Do Not Talk About the Facts of the Case With Anyone Other than a Criminal Defense Lawyer!
While I do recommend that you share the defendant’s basic information with Court Services, it is crucial that you do not discuss anything you saw or know about the case with Court Services, anyone at the jail, or anyone other than your loved one’s attorney. It is also important that you NEVER discuss the facts of the case in person at the jail or on the phone call with an inmate. They do record those calls and listen to them. The District Attorney’s office will definitely use those recordings and our office has received copies of jail phone recordings from prosecutors where our clients have confessed to crimes or their loved ones have shared details that permanently damaged the case.
Attend First Appearance in Court
The best way to find the time, courthouse and room where your loved one’s first appearance will be held is to contact a Guilford County Criminal Defense attorney or to call the Guilford County Clerk’s number. The Greensboro Clerk’s number is 336-412-7300 and the Clerk in High Point can be reached at 336-822-6700. The Greensboro Courthouse is located at 201 South Eugene Street, Greensboro, NC 27401, and the High Point Courthouse is at 505 East Green Drive, High Point, NC 27262.
The first appearance is important because it is the first chance a judge will hear the general information about the case and set the bond amount. Having a lawyer there can make a big difference because otherwise, the only people speaking to the judge will be the prosecutor, law enforcement and Court Services. Having your lawyer there to balance the presentation to the judge can help influence the bond.
Following these guidelines will enable you to best help someone you care about who has been arrested in Guilford County. You will also want to speak with an attorney as soon as possible. When you call Aberle and Wall, we will use our experience to help you every step of the way from the moment of an arrest until the case is over.