Criminal law can be a confusing branch of law, as some of the steps involved do not always seem to be in chronological order, and one question you might be wondering about is whether an arrest automatically means you are guilty of a crime. This is a good question to talk to your criminal defense lawyer about, and here are a few important things to understand about an arrest and what this means in a criminal case.

An arrest occurs because there is reason to believe you committed a crime

The police generally arrest people when they suspect that they have committed a crime. The police must have a reason to make an arrest for a person, and they will tell the person what they are being arrested for in most cases. The important thing to know is that the police cannot just arrest a person for no reason. They must have a reason for doing this, yet just because the police suspect you committed a crime, it does not mean that you are necessarily guilty of the crime.

You are innocent until proven guilty

In criminal law, there is a principle that states that a person is innocent until proven guilty. While this may not make sense to you after your arrest, as you may wonder how the police can arrest you if this principle is really true. Well, this principle is true. You are innocent until the court proves you are guilty, and the police will arrest you to hold you accountable to face the charges and to initiate the criminal process. Being in jail does not mean the court will render a guilty verdict, and this is one of the reasons why the court allows people to get out of jail by paying something called bail.

You have legal rights to due process in court

Finally, you should know that after your arrest, you will face a legal process that is designed to offer you the legal rights you have as a citizen of this country. These rights include giving you the choice to hire a lawyer or not and giving you a chance to determine how you will plead. Your case will go to court in front of a judge or jury, and they will be the ones deciding if you are guilty or not of the crime in question.

If you would like more information about your criminal case, you should contact a law firm that offers criminal defense services.

Share