What Happens After Arrest for Misdemeanor Theft in Wisconsin

Hire a Criminal Defense Attorney if you've been charged with misdemeanor theft

If you are arrested for a misdemeanor theft, the court's process can be confusing. Instead of going it alone, you should hire an experienced criminal defense attorney to help. This gives you your best chance to navigate the next steps and defend against the charges. The right attorney can help at every stage along the way.
1. Your Bond Hearing
Before you even have a judge in place, you appear before the court commissioner. That person will decide whether you can be trusted to remain out of jail until your court date. An attorney can help you here by laying out relevant reasons: your time living in the community, your need to keep working at your job, or even the fact that you hired an attorney to represent you in court. If the commissioner agrees, you will receive a signature bond, which means you sign an agreement to pay a certain amount if you fail to appear for your future hearings.
2. Plea Hearing and Discovery
Your next hearing is where you plead guilty, not guilty, or no contest to the charges brought. A good attorney will talk to you about your options beforehand. Your attorney will give his or her name for the record and state that he or she is representing you. Assuming you want to fight the charges, the attorney will enter a plea of not guilty.
At this point, the prosecuting attorney will turn over any evidence against you: police reports, witness statements, interview notes, pictures, and anything else planned to use against you. Having an experienced attorney is critical for not only examining the evidence, but planning how to defend against what the prosecutor will present.
3. Judge Assignment and Hearing Date
Finally, a judge will be assigned to your case, and a date for your next hearing will be provided. An attorney familiar with the local judges can make a tremendous difference for you, as each judge might require a different approach and strategy. In Madison, Wisconsin, Eisenberg Law Offices can help you with every step to get you the best defense possible.

This post was originally published at https://www.eisenberglaw.org/what-happens-after-arrest-for-misdemeanor-theft-in-wisconsin