Florida arrest and criminal-charge action checklist for staying organized

1. Keep every piece of paper, exactly as it is

• Anything handed to you: a citation, a notice, a release document, a property receipt, a court-date slip.
• Anything mailed to you afterward, with the envelope.
• Keep originals safe and unmarked, and store a photo of each in your own storage — not in any intake form.

2. Note the plain facts, without commentary

• Florida county connected to the matter. This is the most important single item.
• Approximate date and time.
• General matter type: DUI, felony, misdemeanor, drug, theft or property, probation, domestic or violent allegation, or investigation with no charge yet.
• Current status: arrested or booked, citation or notice to appear, under investigation with no arrest, a warrant or possible warrant, or not sure.
• Custody status: currently in custody, released or bonded out, not detained, or not sure.
• Whether any paperwork lists a date, without interpreting what the date means.

3. Write down who has contacted you

• Anyone who has reached out about the matter, with dates.
• Whether an appointment, hearing, or meeting has been mentioned to you.
• Whether you have already spoken with a lawyer, or one has been appointed.

A dated log in one place is enough. If a lawyer contacts you, that log makes the conversation far shorter.

4. Deliberately do not write these down anywhere shareable

• A detailed account of what you did or did not do.
• Anything you would not want read aloud by someone who is not your lawyer.
• Messages, posts, or explanations sent to other people about the matter — including social media.

This is the difference between being organized and volunteering detail. Keep facts; keep the narrative for a private conversation with a lawyer you choose.

5. Never put these in any intake form

• Social Security or driver's license numbers.
• Booking or case numbers, if you would rather not share them.
• Insurance or financial account numbers, and passwords.
• Medical record numbers, or photos of identity documents or paperwork.
• Any written admission.

6. Sort out how you can be contacted

• A phone number or email you can actually answer.
• Times of day that are realistic and safe for you.
• If you are submitting on behalf of someone in custody, use your own contact details, not theirs.

7. If someone is in custody right now

A family member or friend can submit a request describing the situation, the Florida county, and the fact that the person is in custody. We cannot contact a facility, arrange a visit, post bond, or pass along a message. What we can do is review the request for possible connection to a participating Florida attorney who may then decide whether to make contact.

8. Submitting the request

County, general matter type, current status, custody status, whether paperwork with a date exists, whether you already have a lawyer, and how to reach you. That is a complete request. We review non-legal intake factors, apply compliance and eligibility checks, and where a participating lawyer lawfully permitted to practice law in Florida is eligible and available, the request may be introduced to that lawyer, who independently decides whether to contact you. Contact is not guaranteed or immediate, and nothing obligates you to hire anyone. The full factor list is on how intake works.

What this checklist is not

It does not describe charges, defenses, penalties, deadlines, or outcomes, and it does not assess guilt or innocence. We do not calculate deadlines, interpret documents, appear in court, or contact prosecutors, law enforcement, or a jail. AnswerSignalApp is not a law firm and does not provide legal advice. Anything time-sensitive belongs with a lawyer.

Choose the page that matches the current status

Use the DUI page for a DUI arrest or citation, the investigation page when no charge is filed, or the criminal-defense hub when the category is unclear. Separate pages also cover misdemeanor, drug, and theft or property allegations. Every path reaches the same first-party criminal intake form with the matter label carried forward.