Q. My friend/family member was just arrested, how do I get them out of jail?
A. The easiest way to do it is to contact a reputable bail bond company and then meet with an attorney afterwards. If there is no bond, or it is too high, then you need to set an appointment with an experienced attorney to see about getting it reduced.
Q. How much are legal fees in criminal cases?
A. The fee will depend on whether a person is charged with a misdemeanor or a felony. We almost always split the fee into two parts, pre-trial and trial because many cases are dismissed before trial and many times people choose to take a plea bargain.
Q. I was just arrested for ____ and I have to be in court on Friday. What will happen at my first appearance?
A. At many first appearances you will be asked if you have an attorney. If you do not, the court will often reset your appearance for a week or two so you can get one. If you have a lawyer then he or she will probably be able to review the charge against you and any probable cause that existed to arrest you.
Q. What is/can I do deferred adjudication?
A. Deferred adjudication is when a person pleads guilty, but the court does not order a final conviction as long as you do not get arrested or cited for a certain time period. If you complete the time period without getting in trouble then the charge never becomes a final conviction and may be expunged. This option is available for a variety of cases and charges, except for some things like DWI.
Q. I was pulled over for DWI and I refused to give a breath test. Is my license in jeopardy? What can I do?
A. Yes. If you wisely chose not to give a breath sample your license will be automatically suspended unless you follow the special appeal procedures set out by the Texas Department of Public Safety within 15 days.
