Criminal legal advice?

I am sorry for your situation and please do not feel that you are breaking any rules. That is what the pub is for.
If your loved one can't afford an attorney the court must appoint one for him. That is his right of legal representation. You can also contact the legal aid society yourself and find a lawyer.

thanks so much, I really appreciate you getting back to me so quickly. He has a public defender right now, but something doesn't seem right. He went to jail in 2005 than again in 2006 because he owed fines. He also had a bench warrant for a court date he did not recieve (I was living with him at the time and the court notice actually came after he was arrested). he paid the fines and was told he was off probation, he moved twice since than and recieved a call from DYFUS - the mother of his child had her house condemned because it was unsuitable coniditons and he had to go to court. He was going for full custody of his son, and than when he entered his current info in the system, I guess something sparked up because they arrested him at his home two days later. It is my understanding it was two bench warrants, but he didn't get any notices! He never told probation he moved because it was his understanding he was off probation. It's such a mess!
But, as I said, thanks so much for getting back to me. I did not even know you go to the legal aid society. I'm pretty helpless when it comes to criminal matters.

What state are you in?

I am in NJ

An update: He was denied bail again (second time) and goes to court Oct. 23. he might get sentenced for a year! just for what seems to be missed court dates. Our jails are really bad (i live by a nasty inner city) and we just want to help him somehow. Does anyone have any advice on how to get a lawyer? How would I know if s/he is good? How much do they cost? he has a public defender but he doesn't seem to be doing so good with this case..

once someone has a record of several FTA's (Failure to Appears) it is VERY hard to find a sympathetic judge and/or prosecutor. So you might pay out a butt-load of money only to find that the law is the law, and that the public defender couldn't do anything other than what he was. Have you spoken to the PD?

First thank you for getting back to me, it's hard to find a sympathetic anyone right now, :) even family members are shunning this situation. i know how it must look, but for so many reasons, he has to come out. i'm currently taking over his apartment, and dog (and everyone knows i'm having the most awful year ever!). i tried to find maybe a support group for people in my situation because i feel like things are spinning out of control. i have no idea who the public defender is or how to find out who he is. it's hard for me to reach him because he used his last piece of paper, has visitation denied and i have to pay at least $25 on a prepaid account for him to call me (it's an arrangement the jail has). that $25 is coming out of the $75 i have left over in my paycheck after i make rent. at this point, he is staying here longer for this than for his original sentence. And i still don't know what the court dates were for! he was told he was off probation by his current probation officer. she wasn't his original one, the first one got promoted and than they gave him to her. she didn't even know he was in jail until i told her! she said she never sent out a warrant but now she is the one who is actually holding him there. probation can release him but she won't let it. it doesn't make sense, she doesn't even answer the phone or return calls! it's so frustrating and so hard to find any kind of advice as everyone just looks down on me for even asking.

Also, (I'm putting this out there in case it helps anyone else), some people in the same jail have gotten bail for the same offense. I really am considering a lawyer. I work in the courts (sadly, civil courts and have no say in this matter), and have seen a huge difference between people with good lawyers and people with public defenders. that makes me so mad because i'm poor and i hate to see injustice like this. but, i have a friend with a sharp lawyer who has gotten her out of several DWI. Don't get me wrong, i have seen amazing public defenders, but you dont really get to choose :( it's this new public defender, and she's making this so hard!

there might be a lot more to to story than what you were told too. I assume you can check online, most counties have inmate info online, and find the PD that way

Thanks again - my county is really stupid and doesn't have anything online. That was the first place I looked. That really is the story. I see him everyday, practically live with him. And it's been that way for years.. I was there when he called and they said he was off probation (i did nag him to get it in writing but he never did recieve anything), and I was there for the moves.. mail is a problem in general where we live. i have a PO box, which helps me but it's still often weeks late. I guess I can call the public defender's office, too. I really do appreciate responses, as I said, I am looking to find some sort of support group, as it's hard to find anyone to even listen. This is so stressful and sadly, i am likely going to end up in debt somehow over this :/

i did some research, it is $2,500.00 for the attorney i consulted with. that would be on top of the bills i'm behind. i dont know what to do. i can take a loan out in november, but thats gonna be too late. i did some research on court papers in my county. it seems if you violate probation, they usually just add more time to your probation. if someone does a crime, they sentence them to do time. he should be okay but it's actually 100% up to the probation officer who doesn't seem to like him and doesn't return my calls. it's really just like that. problem is, people don't believe me but as i said, i work for the courts and actually do see that if someone doesn't like someone, they go hard. simple as that.
$2,500 sounds expensive, but i have no idea how lawyers go. he never met his public defender, so that makes me nervous - in this county, they usually meet them the day of the hearing. i have a little more than a month away from the court date. if he was out, he'd still be working and the money could be raised pretty quickly. now, i don't know what to do.

does he have family who could help him, or does he have anything that you could sell to raise his attorney fees? I know you want to help him, but it should not be detrimental to you!

i'm trying, his probation officer finally spoke to several of us. she doesnt like him, she even said that much. someone is going to call a supervisor, because its not fair for someone who blantly doesnt like someone to be able to make a life altering decision. i really appreciate your help, though. more than you know, thanks again.