By: Jesse Lange
In more than two decades of criminal defense practice, I’ve learned that people rarely get arrested at a convenient time. Odd hours are the norm. And if you’ve ever suffered the indignity of an arrest, you know it isn’t just a crisis — it’s an emergency. You need sound legal advice now, not at nine in the morning when law firms open for business. That’s why I think of criminal defense lawyers as the first responders of the legal profession.
Over the course of my career, I have taken countless middle-of-the-night calls. Most are from people who have just been arrested for DUI / DWI and need immediate advice on whether to take a chemical test, but that’s just one aspect of my emergency practice. I’ve also taken calls from people as their homes are being ransacked pursuant to a search warrant. I’ve met with prosecutors after midnight and negotiated terms tantamount to immunity for a client in connection with a murder investigation. I’ve advised clients and negotiated with police officers to de-escalate and ultimately resolve armed standoffs without my client being hurt or doing further damage to his case at least twice. On many occasions, I’ve intervened to stop clients from giving incriminating statements related to alleged drug trafficking, sex offenses, and violent crimes. The common denominator in each of these situations is a client in crisis and in need of immediate, emergency legal advice, and assistance.
If you ever find yourself under arrest or if law enforcement is at your door, you need legal advice immediately because you have an emergency on your hands. By the time law firms open for business, it might be too late. If you need legal advice during an emergency, demand your Fifth and Sixth Amendment Rights to an attorney, and give me a call. My direct line is (701) 205-0531. As long as I wake up, and I usually do, I’ll be happy to take your call. My colleague and fellow SW&L criminal defense attorney Adam Justinger is also available in an emergency at (701) 484-3618.
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