No More Get Out of Jail Free Cards

As a criminal defense lawyer who doesn't advertise in the yellow pages, I receive few early morning "someone's in jail can you bond them out" calls.

I don't want them anymore.

I don't mind the call from a great friend, or current client seeking some help, but the people who "got your name from.....," please don't call me.

Why? Because you waste my time.

[1] You get some sense that I am responsible for actually getting them out. I am not. I am merely giving you the name of a respectable bondsman for you to call. This does not give you the right to call me 6 times on a Saturday and ask me why he's not out. I don't know.

[2] You don't listen to me, you go down to the jail when I tell you not to, and you start talking to people who tell you different things. You believe all of it. You then call me and tell me that "so and so said........"

[3] You rarely hire me for the case, if you even bother to call me and let me know he's out (because then you may have to say "thank you.")

My job is not to "get people out of jail." That is the job of a bondsman. If you have some difficulty posting a standard bond (the bond normally set for the particular offense in each juristiction), then a lawyer may be necessary.

But from now on if you're calling because "someone's in jail," be ready to retain me, or call someone else.

(Yes, this happened twice this weekend)


Brian Tannebaum is a criminal defense attorney in Miami, Florida practicing in state and federal court. To learn more about Brian and his firm, Tannebaum Weiss, please visit www.tannebaumweiss.com