I've Been Arrested... What Should I Do Now?

If you have been arrested, or are under investigation, you must understand one very important fact – THE POLICE ARE NOT YOUR FRIEND OR ADVOCATE. Make no mistake, the police are not your friends, they are focused on finding evidence of a crime and proving you to be a criminal.

If you find yourself on the receiving end of the government’s haste to convict you must protect yourself and invoke your right to counsel. Your right to counsel is one of the greatest safeguards that exist in our nation. Do not allow the police to deceive or coerce you into giving up this safeguard in return for their “leniency”. Tell the police you’re taking the 5^th and you want your lawyer, then stop talking.

DO: Call Kyle Humphrey at (661) 327-1360

DON'T: Hire anybody else until you have met with me

DO: Meet with and speak to your attorney personally

DON'T: Rely on Jail Mail (junk mail is sent from attorneys who buy lists of arrested people and mass mail them with so-called coupons and big claims. Many of them are statewide and do not regularly practice in Kern County)

DO: Check out your attorney's reputation in the criminal law community. Research the cases handled and results. Check them on the California State Bar website.

DON'T: Hire any attorney who overstates their experience or makes you guarantees. Find out if they have ever even done a criminal jury trial, and if so, how many with what type of results? If they don't give you specifics, they are probably lying to you

DO: Take time to talk to your attorney, meet with me personally, ask questions. I have no problem sitting down with prospective clients and explaining my excellent qualifications and record

DON'T: Believe you have to call a 24 hr lawyer. What can an attorney do for you at 3 am? I talk to any potential client quickly, but good lawyers do not act like tow truck services. If you hire a "24 hour" attorney you have not done your research and you will suffer the consequences

DO: Talk to friends, police officers you know, and attorneys about the attorney you are considering. Ask: Is the attorney well known? Has he been around a long time? Has he gone to trial and won big cases? We can answer "yes" to these questions.

DON'T: Hire an attorney in a costume or off a billboard. Mass marketing by an attorney simply means their prior clients are NOT recommending them to other people. A billboard or a commercial cannot defend you like I can.