What do you do if you are under investigation?
If you are under investigation, the best thing to do is contact an experienced qualified defense attorney. Here, we explain why, and how we can protect you.
What happens if a police officer leaves a card with his phone number on or at your doorstep or at your loved one’s doorstep? What do you do? What do you do next?
The best thing you can do is call an experienced, qualified criminal defense attorney. Here’s why…
What the police officer expects you to do is call them yourself and set up a meeting where they can speak to you. In most cases, they’re not on your side, it’s not their job – their job is to make arrests and get convictions.
A criminal defense attorney can take that information and find out from the officer exactly what they’re looking at, what they want and what they need. This is why it is recommended that your defense attorney speaks for you.
It is very dangerous for you to speak to a police officer, because as you may have heard, anything you say or disclose to them, can and will be used against you. Even if it seems like it is something innocent, it can be used against you.
For example, if you acknowledge that you were at a certain bar or club at a certain time, you would have already given them part of the proof that they may need or want.
Let us talk to them for you. Let us do it. We can speak to them, we can get information for you – we can protect you.
When talking with an attorney about your situation, you should not leave out any details. This will only help your case and the attorney will have a better idea of what you are up against.
Our free, no obligation, detailed case review and consultation can help anyone under investigation gain valuable insight and peace of mind. Our defense team can help provide additional opportunities to anyone under investigation, including the possibility of avoiding charges completely.
Our Criminal Defense Lawyers are ready to provide you with a detailed consultation for FREE!
FREQUENTLY ASKED Questions about being under investigation:
WHAT ARE YOUR RIGHTS IF YOU ARE UNDER INVESTIGATION?
- Right to leave. When someone is not under arrest and has not been given their Miranda rights under the 5thAmendment to the U.S. Constitution, they can and should leave. If the police stop someone, the problem may be that someone may not be certain if they are being arrested or simply questioned. The best strategy is to ask the officer. If they tell someone that they are not under arrest, they should leave and contact an experienced criminal defense attorney right away to help determine the next steps.
- Right to privacy. The 4th Amendment to the Constitution is the right to be protected from unreasonable searches and seizes of property and self. Unless the police have a search warrant, people have a right to refuse to allow them to search a home, car, other property, or person.
- Right to remain silent. The right to remain silent and not incriminate one’s self falls under the 5thAmendment. If the police are questioning someone, they should invoke this right and remain silent. Everyone should also ask to have their attorney present. Questions from police officers’ should go unanswered and it is not advisable to talk to them at all because of the risk of incriminating statements.
- Right to an attorney. Under the 6th Amendment to the Constitution, everyone has a right to an attorney. Anyone who is a suspect or worried about potentially being one should immediately exercise this right and retain an attorney. Hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney can immediately help prevent criminal charges from being filed.
I am under investigation By POLICE, but have not been charged yet. Do I need a lawyer?
Yes, if you’re under investigation, you need a lawyer even if you haven’t been charged with anything yet – there is always a possibility your lawyer can help you avoid being charged at all.
What if I get a call from a police officer or detective and they asked me to come in and answer some questions?
You should tell the police that you would like to speak to an attorney first, or that you can come in and answer questions but you would like for your attorney to present. You can also ask the detective to contact your attorney directly. Nobody should ever talk to police or answer any questions whether under investigation or not, without a lawyer.
Are all crime reports investigated by a detective?
No. Cases are reviewed to determine which are investigated. A case is assigned for investigation based on witness(s) and evidentiary solvability factors. However, all crime reports are reviewed by detectives in order to link series related crimes.
How Long Does a Police Investigation Take?
Unfortunately, there are no easy answers to this question. An investigation will continue until authorities have gathered enough evidence to proceed forward with the case or decide that there isn’t enough evidence on which to proceed. This might involve waiting for the turnaround of forensic evidence or locating and interviewing witnesses, victims, or additional suspects. How long someone is under investigation may also depend on the caseload of the agency that’s conducting interviews and gathering evidence.
The length of time for a police investigation will also depend on the kind of crime that is being investigated and what sort of statute of limitations governs it. The statute of limitations around federal cases, for instance, is five years, so those kinds of investigations can go on for a very long time.
What is a Federal Investigation?
The process by which agencies of the federal government of the United States investigate potential violations of federal law is known as a federal investigation. Federal investigations can cover a wide range of criminal activities, including but not limited to white-collar crimes, drug trafficking, terrorism, and cybercrime. Here are the key components that define a federal investigation:
If someone you know or love has just been arrested, we can help immediately.
Common Signs of Being Under Investigation on a federal level:
- Unusual financial activities such as account freezes or seizures of bank accounts and unexplained transactions.
- Increased surveillance such as physical monitoring or digitally with unexplained issues on phone, email, or online accounts.
- Legal document requests such as subpoenas for business records or search warrants.
- Interviews and interrogations with questioning by federal agents attempting to interview family, colleagues or employees.
- Target letters including notifications of being the subject of a grand jury investigation or letters requiring immediate action.
- Grand Jury subpoenas including knowledge of witnesses being called to testify
- Professional and social changes in behavior of contacts indicating they may have been advised to limit communication.
- Public records and reporting such as media reports or records requests related to business or personal affairs
We will find out where it happened, what agency made the arrest, what the charges are and what to do next most importantly. To learn more about how our criminal defense lawyers can help, see:
What to do if a loved one has been arrested