Why Calling a Defense Attorney Should Be the First Thing You Do After Being Charged

Being charged with a crime is overwhelming. The natural reaction is to worry, spiral, or start searching the internet for answers. As a defense attorney, I can tell you this plainly: the single most important thing you can do after being charged is call a defense attorney—before anything else.

Worrying feels active, but it accomplishes nothing. Internet research feels helpful, but it is often misleading, overly general, or simply wrong for your situation. Criminal law is intensely fact-specific. Two cases with the same charge can have completely different outcomes based on details that no online article can account for—your record, the evidence, the officers involved, and the local court practices.

More importantly, the earliest moments of a case matter the most. Statements made to police, probation officers, friends, or even in text messages can quickly become evidence. Bail conditions are set early. Deadlines for motions—especially motions to suppress evidence—start running almost immediately. A defense attorney's job is to step in right away to protect you from making mistakes when the consequences are highest.

Calling a defense attorney is not just about learning the law. It is about having someone who can take over communication with law enforcement, evaluate whether your rights were violated, assess the strength of the State's case, and begin building a strategy tailored specifically to you. Early involvement often changes the trajectory of a case—sometimes dramatically.

Online research cannot appear in court. It cannot negotiate with a prosecutor. It cannot file motions, argue bail, or protect you from saying the wrong thing at the wrong time. More often than not, excessive Googling increases anxiety without providing real answers.

When you are charged, the State is already moving. You should be too.

Charged With a Crime in Maine?

If you or a loved one has been charged, the first call should be to a defense attorney—not a search engine. William H. Ashe represents clients throughout Maine and provides clear, practical guidance from the very start of a case.

📞 Call Attorney William H. Ashe today to protect your rights and take control of what happens next.