No, not necessarily. A proper answer to this question will depend on the type of offense you were arrested for, how serious the offense was, and your choice in legal representation. A skilled criminal defense lawyer could work to prevent charges from being filed or potentially find evidence to have charges reduced or dismissed. In some circumstances, your attorney could help you avoid a trial by proving to a judge through a pre-trial motion that your charges were filed on illegal grounds, resulting in the dismissal of the case.

Your Miranda warnings (also known as Miranda rights) are the explanation of your constitutional right to remain silent and to retain legal counsel after an arrest and before any custodial interrogation. Both of these rights stem from your Fifth Amendment right to protect yourself from self-incrimination. Once you assert your Miranda rights, officers must stop any interrogation immediately and obtain a warrant or waiver before resuming.

Law enforcement officers are required to advise you of your Miranda rights during an arrest or when you are placed in custody with the purpose of interrogation. If you have responded to an officer's questions or have been interrogated when under arrest without being read the Miranda warnings, a criminal defense lawyer can file a motion to suppress those statements in court. This means that any evidence gathered against you after an officer's failure to inform you of your Miranda rights could also be dismissed in court.

Absolutely. The sooner that you retain a lawyer, the better chances you will have of reaching a positive resolution after an alleged federal crime, driving under the influence, or another misdemeanor or felony crime. Early intervention in a criminal defense case by a skilled attorney can benefit you and help protect your rights after an arrest. If you have been arrested and feel as though the evidence against you is overwhelming, only a skilled criminal defense lawyer can determine the strengths and weaknesses of your case and explain your options for presenting a defense and taking legal action.

Hiring an attorney immediately after an arrest could make a substantial difference in your criminal defense case. Only a lawyer can help you avoid a trial, determine crucial aspects of your case, conduct thorough research, gather evidence quickly, protect your constitutional rights during an interrogation or investigation, and draft a proactive defense strategy to fight the allegations made against you.

Can my criminal record ever be sealed?

Both felony and misdemeanor convictions will stay on your criminal record for life. No matter how old a prior felony conviction may be, any previous charges could be used against you to enhance your punishment for any future criminal charges. In certain cases in which the charges against you are dismissed, an arrest can potentially be erased from your record. If you are convicted of the crime, however, your criminal charge will remain on your record for life. Even if the charges against you are reduced to a lesser conviction, your criminal record will still indicate a criminal charge. Your criminal record will include the original charge and will also indicate that the charge was reduced.

Eligibility for a criminal record sealing does not necessarily mean that expungement of your record is guaranteed. In order to successfully seal a criminal record, you must follow several strict procedural steps. Failure to follow the criminal record sealing process will prohibit you from sealing your criminal record. To ensure that your forms are properly filed with the court, you should consult an experienced criminal defense lawyer first.

Bail -- or bail bonds -- simply refers to an amount of money or property that is required by the court to release a person from jail. Bonds are used to guarantee that a person will return for all court dates. If a person fails to return to court on a mandatory date, his or her bail bond will be forfeited and a bench arrest warrant will be issued for his or her arrest. Bail can take the form of cash, property, or bail bond posting from a bail bond company.

Miranda rights are an explanation of your Fifth Amendment right to protect yourself from self-incrimination. If a law enforcement officer fails to inform you of your Miranda warnings, several things can happen. Law enforcement officers are required to advise you of your Miranda rights during an arrest or when placed in custody with the purpose of interrogation. If you have asserted your constitutional rights to remain silent and retain legal counsel, then an officer is required by law to stop questioning you until you have spoken with your Knoxville federal criminal defense lawyer.

If you have responded to an officer's questions or have been interrogated when under arrest without being read your Miranda rights, a federal criminal defense lawyer can file a motion to suppress the evidence in court. This means that any evidence gathered against you after an officer's failure to inform you of your Miranda rights could be suppressed in court. This is an important element of a defense case, so consult a lawyer to ensure that your constitutional rights have not been violated.