Being arrested and charged with a crime, booked into jail, and then bailed out can be an incredibly stressful and upsetting process, especially for a first-time offender who is unfamiliar with the process. While dealing with an arrest can be a lot to handle, it is important to remain diligent after you are released from jail. One of the best things you can do after being arrested and charged with a crime is hire an experienced criminal defense lawyer to represent you. Always consult several lawyers before you make your hiring decision. After you hire a criminal defense attorney to represent you, use the following tips to help you prepare for your first meeting with your legal counsel:

Collect Important Paperwork and Documents

Before your first meeting with your criminal defense lawyer, it is in your best interest to collect important paperwork and documents related to your case. After you have gathered everything, make copies of each sheet for your records as well as for your attorney. The type of paperwork you may have will depend on whether or not you were seen by a judge while in jail. Some types of paperwork and documents that can be very helpful for your criminal defense lawyer include: documents that outline the crime you have been charged with, probable cause affidavit, bail release conditions, and documentation informing you of when you're next due in court. If you have a copy of the police report for your arrest, bring that to the meeting as well.

Create a Narrative Outlining the Details of Your Arrest

Meeting with a criminal defense lawyer for the first time can be a bit overwhelming, especially if you have never had to hire one in the past. Thus, it is not surprising that many people become flustered or forget important details during the initial meeting with their lawyer. In order to ensure that you convey all of the important information regarding your arrest and being charged with a crime, it can be very helpful to write out a narrative that outlines all of the details that you can remember. Your attorney can use this narrative to help when asking you questions, so he or she can gain a clearer picture about the events surrounding your events.

Make a List of Potential Witnesses

Witnesses play an important role when it comes to creating a defense for a person who has been accused of a crime. Think carefully about the details of the events leading up to your arrest, and create a list of witnesses, including their contact information, for your lawyer to review. You should include people who may have witnessed the alleged crime, people who can provide an alibi for the time of the crime, and character witnesses that can help during the trial.