20 - If I cannot get out of custody, what should I be doing while my sex crimes charges are pending?

If you are in custody for a sex crime, the first thing you need to do is determine if you want to retain a private criminal defense attorney or utilize a public defender to defend your case. It’s important to remember that regardless of whether you have retained a private criminal defense attorney or a public defender, your case will likely take longer to process than most other criminal cases because this is a highly specialized area of criminal law. If you have a public defender, remain in contact with your attorney to ensure that your case is progressing in a timely fashion, but remember that public defenders are busy and they cannot be available to answer your questions 100% of the time.

If you have retained a private criminal defense attorney, it is appropriate to meet with your attorney to ask about legal defects in the state’s evidence, legal strategy in your case and any investigation your attorney thinks is necessary. Keep in mind that just because you think something needs to be done in your case does not mean that your attorney must follow your instructions. Any criminal defense attorney defending a sex crimes case should have the experience and independent legal expertise to employ legal strategies intended to most effectively defend your case. Have faith in your attorney and his or her expertise. If you have taken the time to shop around for an experienced Phoenix sex crimes attorney, they should know what strategies are best.

FAQ - Sex Crime Charges in Arizona