Getting arrested, or having a family member get arrested, raises immediate questions about who answers the phone, how fast someone calls back, and when the right moment to reach out actually is. These three answers walk through what happens on that first call, whether a lawyer is available overnight, and why calling right away matters.
Frequently Asked Questions
When Should You Call a Lawyer During an Arrest?
The best time to call is whenever you’re ready, whether it’s during the day, Saturday afternoon, or in the middle of the night when it’s happening. Sometimes calls come in where somebody is there and the police are there, and sometimes the police will even talk to the firm in certain situations.
Most people are not going to have a lawyer escort them through an arrest process, but the time to call is now. It’s going to take a little bit of time to call you back because it goes through the answering service. They’re going to send a text message, and whoever’s on call is going to get that and call you back at some point. So call now.
What Happens When You Call a Lawyer During an Arrest?
The basic thing is you call the firm’s office. It doesn’t matter what time of day it is, night, weekends, or holidays. When you call, you’re going to talk to a person. A person is going to answer the phone. They’re going to get information about what your situation is. They’re going to relay that to the support team and they’re going to call you back.
Will they call you back at three o’clock in the morning? Probably not. They’ll probably call you back at 7 o’clock in the morning, or maybe 7:30. There’s still time to do what needs to be done if you hire the firm at that point. The firm also tells you whether or not you need to hire them. Sometimes you don’t need them, and once they give you the answers, maybe you don’t need them now, you need them later.
Can You Talk to a Lawyer in the Middle of the Night?
It’s not certain whether you’ll talk to a lawyer in the middle of the night or one of the firm’s lawyers. What’s going to happen is on the first call, you’re going to talk to the answering service. They’re not lawyers, they answer the phone. Then when they find out it’s an emergency and you need help, you need answers now, they’re going to send out a message that most of the team gets.
Somebody from the support team is going to call you back either very early in the morning or in the evening if it’s not too late. They’re going to get the information from you and then help you decide if you need a lawyer. If you need a lawyer, they’re going to be feeding that information to one of the firm’s lawyers. So maybe you don’t talk to a lawyer that night.
Greg McCollum has practiced criminal defense in South Carolina for about 30 years and previously worked as a prosecutor, giving him a view of arrest cases from both sides of the courtroom. That background is why the Complete Legal Defense Team built a process that starts working on a call the moment it comes in.
If you have questions about an arrest emergency, call the Greg McCollum Complete Legal Defense Team at (843) 626-5480. Consultations are confidential.
