There are few experiences in life more frightening, more humiliating and more painful than being arrested. The first reaction is disbelief, which very quickly turns to anger as handcuffs are snapped onto your wrists, tightly and uncomfortably.

The anger is replaced by fear as you are taken to jail in the smelly backseat of a rattling squad car and it intensifies as you are fingerprinted, photographed and processed.

The fear and disbelief turn to reality at the sound of the slow, hollow rumble of the jail cell door closing behind you. And then there is a certain numbness.

Since the vast majority of arrests aren't planned in advance, few criminal defendants have the opportunity to get legal advice before the arrest. That's unfortunate, because critical mistakes are often made before, during, and after the arrest. Sometimes, by the time a defendant speaks to a criminal defense attorney, he's already made mistakes that will negatively impact his defense — and maybe even result in additional charges.

Every case is different, but if you've been arrested, it is imperative that you get organized and take decisive action. The first step is to contact a good criminal defense attorney. A criminal defense attorney will explain your legal rights and possible ways to challenge your charges, and also make sure you are aware of important deadlines which could impact your case. And if you don't know where to turn for a criminal defense attorney, there's no need to worry.