I’ve been arrested with someone else. What does that mean for me?
What does co-defendant mean?
When you’re arrested with someone else that means you have a co-defendant. At your first appearance the judge is likely to tell you that you aren’t allowed any contact with your co-defendant. That means you can’t talk to one another or be around each other.
Having a co-defendant can mean a number of things as your case progresses. Co-defendants are generally not allowed to have the same lawyer. The State may want one of you to offer testimony against the other. Or they may try and use statements that one of you made to police against both of you. There could also be an issue of separate trials or your case being tried together.
If you’re sentenced to probation, you may be ordered not to have contact as part of probation.
In each part of a criminal case it is important to proceed with caution. Something you or a co-defendant says in conversation with the police could have a serious outcome later in the case. Or phone calls that you make to each other could later be used against you.
When you have a co-defendant in your case it is important to have a lawyer who understands the implications and protects you. Make sure you call Dunham and Ingram immediately.