What Should I Do If Arrested in Illinois? Arrested on criminal charges in the state of Illinois? Attorney Andrew Russek from Combs Waterkotte discusses what to do if you’re arrested in Illinois. It is important to remain calm and remember that you have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney, and anything you say to law enforcement can be used against you in court. After an arrest, you may be taken into custody, processed, and appear before a judge for a bond hearing or release determination. Criminal charges in Illinois can carry serious penalties under the Illinois Criminal Code (720 ILCS 5) depending on the offense. Understanding what to do after an arrest in Illinois can help protect your rights and ensure you take the proper steps in your defense.
Interview Transcript
Scott Michael Dunn: What should I do if I’m arrested in Illinois?
Andrew Russek: The first thing to do would be to reach out to an attorney. Depending on what you’re arrested for, there’s a lot of things that can happen quickly. Arrested is not the same as being charged. Arrested means that a police officer is essentially accusing you of a crime. They still have to take that down and get a prosecutor to agree or to issue some kind of charge. So early on, an attorney can help you maybe talk with the prosecutor, talk with the police officer, clear things up, mitigate some of those consequences. Or if you’re arrested and there’s a warrant out for you, you know, time is of the essence in getting that warrant addressed or getting you a bond hearing. So with anything, with our investigation, fighting the charges, time is of the essence.
