Answers for the first night and the months after

Be polite, give your name, and say you want a lawyer before answering questions. Then call. What you say in the patrol car, at the station or on a jail phone can be used later.

Write down where they were taken and the charge if you know it, then call us. The first appearance usually comes within a day, and bond is set there.

A judge reads the charge and decides on bond and release conditions. Celestina can be there to argue for release you can meet.

Not before a lawyer reviews what the plea means for your status. Some pleas that end a case quickly cause serious problems later with a green card, a visa or citizenship.

It depends on the charge and the stage of the case. After our first conversation you get the fee in writing, before you pay anything. Payment plans are possible.

Not always. For many routine hearings Celestina can appear for you. For the ones that matter, she'll tell you well ahead and prepare you.

Sometimes, depending on how the case ends and what's on your record already. We tell you early, because it can shape the choices you make now.

Yes. Celestina and her legal assistant, Benicio Belisario, both speak Spanish. You can meet, read your papers and prepare in Spanish; the court provides an interpreter at hearings.