First Criminal Court Date in Oklahoma
First Criminal Court Date in Oklahoma
CANNON & ASSOCIATES is dedicated to Fierce Advocacy for those facing Criminal Prosecution. It is crucial you contact an experienced Oklahoma Criminal Defense Attorney, if you have been arrested for any criminal allegation. Your first court date, as discussed on the Arraignment page, will be within a week, if your bond is denied or you do not post bail. Unfortunately, the length of time until your first court date, while in custody, is based partially on when you were arrested.
It is true you do not want to be arrested on the Friday night of a holiday weekend. However, if you post bail your first court date will likely be within 30 days of your release. Time is critical and you should act fast. Whether you are in our out of custody, your first court date will be much smoother with an experienced Oklahoma criminal defense attorney. Your criminal defense attorney will be able to appear on your behalf or will have your case heard at the beginning of the docket; allowing you to leave the courthouse shortly after arriving.
Arraignment in Oklahoma
At arraignment, the Judge will advise you of your charges and ask “how do you plea for purposes of arraignment?” Your answer, regardless of whether you plan to fight your case or work out the best deal possible should be “not guilty, Your Honor.” After you enter your plea the Court will notify you of the first court date before the judge handling your case. In the interim your attorney will try to contact the prosecutor assigned to your case and begin working on your case and the prosecutor.
How often Should I meet with my Attorney between Court dates?
Although you may want to meet with or receive updates from your criminal defense attorney on a regular basis, the fact is your attorney generally must wait for information from the prosecutor longer than either of you would like to wait. In some cases things move very quickly and you will receive information and have phone/email exchanges from your attorney on a very rapid basis. On other cases you and your attorney must wait for 15-45 days for useful information from the prosecutor. The seriousness, complexity, and amount of charges you and your criminal defense attorney are facing plays a major role in the length of time you must wait for answers.
Although your attorney has the ability to request police reports directly from the law enforcement agency that is or has conducted the investigation into your case, the information provided directly to your attorney is limited. You will not learn everything you want until your criminal defense attorney is able to meet with the prosecutor and discuss: the circumstances warranting a better outcome for you, the discovery, and how the prosecutor sees the case.
It is important when interviewing criminal defense attorneys to get an idea of how long they think it will take to have real answers about the process in your case. You are entitled to know: what attorney will be personally handling your case, who can you speak to in the firm, what is the timeline going forward, and what are reasonable expectations.
Conclusion
Appearances matter, including in your criminal case. Your appearance before the Court and the prosecutor on your criminal case affect their opinion of you. Hiring a respected Oklahoma criminal defense attorney plays a role in how you appear to the prosecutor in your case. It is important to know the attorney you hire is a Fierce Advocate and has experience defending criminal cases. John Cannon, owner of CANNON & ASSOCIATES, PLLC, will personally work along-side you during the entire process, including meeting with you in jail until you are released.
John has been honored by being identified as a Top 40 under 40 in Criminal Defense by the National Trial Lawyers Association. John has the experience you need and will bring it to bear in your case. Additionally, he has an outstanding record of reaching the best possible outcome for hundreds of clients accused of the wide variety of criminal charges, evidenced by receiving the highest possible AVVO rating – 10 (superb). Contact CANNON & ASSOCIATES to protect your freedom and Fight your Case. You may send an email inquiry, complete the contact form on our website, or call at (405) 657-2323.