Wrongly Accused? What to Do

Were you arrested and charged with a crime you didn't commit? Do you believe you were wrongly accused? There are things you can do to try to remedy the situation. Here's what to do.

1. Don't say anything that could be used against you. You were probably read your Miranda rights by the arresting officer, but it's worth repeating. Don't say anything that could be used against you. They'll try to get you to talk, of course, but don't. Wait until you get an attorney and let him (or her) advise you on what to say and what not to say.

2. Post bail. Posting bail means you give the courts an amount they ask for, in return for your freedom until your court date. They hold the money until you are done in court, and if you don't show up they keep it.

However, bail is usually set somewhat high, to discourage people from running off and not showing up. If you can't afford to pay it you'll need to get a third party to post a bail bond for you. This person is known as a bondsman. Of course, they're not doing it out of the goodness of their hearts, so you'll need to sign something over to them as collateral — for instance, your car or your house.

Bondsmen's offices are usually located close to the jail. So if you are looking for West Coast bail bonds, San Francisco offers plenty of choices within a few blocks radius of the jail. Same goes for bail bonds Los Angeles.

3. Get a good lawyer and start building your case. Once you are out on bond, you can move freely about town and get things done. Visit several lawyers and choose the one you think will do the best job of arguing your case — shopping around is best, because the first lawyer you visit is not always the best one. Also, start writing down everything you can think of that might help your case — when you get a lawyer, this will be a good place for him or her to start.

Being wrongly accused and charged with a crime you didn't commit is infinitely upsetting, but it's not the end of the world. If you keep your head and take it step by step, you and your lawyer can build a convincing case to convince the judge of your innocence.