Pending Criminal Charges — Ask the Inmate
The period between arrest and conviction is one of the most uncertain and stressful phases of the entire criminal justice experience. Cases can drag on for months or years. Plea negotiations, pretrial hearings, continuances, and evidence reviews all happen while a person sits in county jail or on bail waiting for a resolution. This section covers how the pretrial process works, what the difference is between a felony and a misdemeanor, how plea deals are negotiated and what the risks are, what happens at a preliminary hearing versus a trial, how defense investigators can help build a case, and what families can do to support their loved one through the uncertainty of pending charges. The guidance here is written for families encountering the criminal justice system for the first time who need to understand what is happening without being overwhelmed by legal complexity. See also our sections on Law Questions and Legal Terms, Bail and Bond Questions, and Sentencing Questions.
There is an affidavit from someone in law enforcement that has caused this charge to be filed. They can indict a ham sandwich if they want, doesn'r mean they are going to win.
Read moreMy guess is that the inmate got into a violent fight where someone got hurt really bad - it could certainly be something else. He was probably taken to the SHU where they held a Disciplinary Hearing with a single Officer (the DHO) presiding. The DHO evidently found him guilty. Now, the punishment would include more time added to the sentence, plus a change of institution (to a higher security level with less privileges). Here are some examples of Class B
Read moreYou can, but there is a high likelihood that you will be picked up
Read moreWhat are the odds that she gets stopped for a traffic violation? They aren't going to send the US Marshal to find her, but if she screws up, they will have a reason to detain her and notify the county in Oklahoma that issued the warrant. It's not a felony to not pay a fine, there is surely more to this story...
Read moreAre we talking arraignment, bond hearing, pleadings? You are entitled to a speedy trial but that is not generaly defined to a time frame. We know some defendants that could not make bail sit in county jail for 6-9 months before anything happened on the case.
Read moreFirst offense, marijuana and paraphernalia? This could be settled with a pre-sentence intervention where your fiance pays a fine and goes to class for a few days. There is probably no way to get it "erased", as that is his record now, unless this intervention comes with an expungment too.
Read moreThat is a very serious charge and before you "get involved" any further, maybe you should get some legal advice. If he was accused of something you sent, you might put yourself in a position to defend yourself. Forget about saying, "you had nothing to do with it", all the inmates there are innocent, too
Read moreThis will depend on her prior criminal history, the statement by the arresting officers and how the judge views her behavior measuring against her criminal record (if any). If she has no real charges to speak of, she might get a slap on the wrist. The question is was she unable to meet bail, had bail been set... why is she there for three weeks...? that might help us give you better advice. Three weeks before seeing the judge might
Read moreYou can verify the charges yourself through the Clerk of the County Court in the county where the charges were filed. This is also where the trial would be if they take it to court,
Read moreIf this is a state charge, you can contact the Clerk of the Court in the county where they were arrested. If this is a federal charge, you can Google your inmate's name with the word "indictment" to see the FBI's statement on the charges. They love to brag about their conquests so there is no lack of publicity. If neither of these work, you can use a pay service that has the most accurate and up-to-date arrest information nationwide.
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