What is a Criminal Case?
How do you know if it’s a criminal case when something happens and you come into contact with police? You should realize that any contact with the Queens Police Department starts a criminal case.
This includes a phone call from a police officer, a visit to your home by police whether or not there is an arrest warrant, when you’re stopped by police on the street or in a traffic stop, or if someone goes to the police and names you as committing a crime.
What to do if the Police Contact You
If you are contacted by the police in any manner, you should call an attorney. Don’t delay or try to resolve any incident with the police by yourself without legal counsel. It’s not wise to assume anything about why the police have your name or are contacting you, and may result in very unfavorable consequences for you. When you contact an attorney when police contact you, it gives you the ability to figure out what is going on without direct involvement with police.
Don’t ever assume that police have evidence against you, are on your side, or are always being truthful with you. Police questioning is not for your best interests. It’s for their investigation purposes to gather information and meet their goals of resolving an open case, and they are allowed to use deceitful tactics to get statements. Don’t get caught up in any police involvement. Call Jason Steinberger, Queens criminal lawyer, 646-256-1007, at the first contact from police to protect yourself from being arrested if you are involved in an investigation.
When You’re Arrested in Queens
When you get arrested in Queens, you will be handcuffed and taken to a police station. At the police station, you will be fingerprinted and a mugshot or arrest photo will be taken of you.
About Misdemeanor Charges
Being charged with a misdemeanor in Queens means being put through Queens’ Central Booking or getting a Desk Appearance Ticket (DAT). It’s definitely a more favorable experience to get a DAT, which is a document that outlines what you were arrested for and has a scheduled date that you have to go to court for arraignment. You will get to leave the police station if you get a DAT. If you are sent to booking, you will not get to leave the police station. You will go the Queens Detention Facility to await transport by bus to the Criminal Court at 125-01 Queens Boulevard where you’ll go in front of a Criminal Court judge for arraignment.
Being Charge with a Felony
Being charged with a felony in Queens means you probably aren’t going to be eligible for a DAT unless it’s only a class E felony. If that’s the charge, you will be fingerprinted, an arrest photo (mug shot) will be taken, you’ll get a DAT, and be allowed to leave. If you are charged with any other felonies, class D or higher, you will most probably be going to the Queens Detention Facility to be held until bus transfer to Criminal Court for appearance before a Criminal Court judge.
About Arraignment
Arraignment means the process by which formal charges are processed against you by the Queens District Attorney’s Office. You’ll go in front of a Criminal Court judge with a lawyer at the arraignment to be advised of the criminal charges against you and have a bail hearing. At the bail hearing, the court decides whether to further detain you or release you on your own recognizance, and the District Attorney will try to convince the court to set bail. Experienced NY criminal attorney Jason Steinberger knows how to fight bail applications so his clients are released without any bail requirements. Call him at 646-256-1007 now.