Understanding the Impact of Holiday Arrests
Did you get arrested during the holidays? I’m Tulsa criminal law attorney Carl Birkhead with Wirth Law Office in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I’ve been practicing family and criminal law for a little over seven years now, and I want to talk to you about how to make law easy by giving you some information about what it looks like during the holidays if you end up finding yourself accused of a crime.
It’s surprising to some people that many individuals find themselves in jail over the holidays, and it kind of makes sense when you think about it. The holidays are a time when a lot of people are great, happy, and celebratory. It’s full of joy, and a lot of people are depressed. It can be a real bummer of a time of year if things aren’t going well.
Why the Holidays Can Lead to Increased Arrests
A lot of people just kind of feel like this adds to it. It leads to bad decisions, which lead to bad decisions, which ultimately lead to someone in handcuffs. The holidays are a time of year when I try to tell people, regardless of their reasons, mad, sad, angry, depressed, whatever, to do what they can to take care of themselves.
Stay at home. Watch a good movie. Don’t indulge in substances. Don’t get into fights. One, they see it a lot. 9-1-1 calls are nuts this time of year. But two, you’re also dealing with a time of year when the courts are going to be closed more often than they are in the majority of the rest of the year.
Understanding Court Closures During the Holidays
Let’s think about it. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day mean the people aren’t at work. Not long after that, New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day mean people aren’t at work then either. What do those mean? That means that courts are closed. That means that judges are not on the bench, which means that if you are arrested, you’re looking at a three- to five-day weekend before you even have a chance at getting a bond set and getting released.
It’s not worth it. It’s not. One bad Christmas fight, one bad interaction with your family, especially when substances are involved, could lead to you spending half your holiday break or more behind bars.
Preventative Measures During the Holiday Season
Guys, I cannot stress this enough. It is much better to walk away from any given situation than it is to let it escalate to the point where a crime gets committed. If you’re thinking about drinking over the holidays, do it responsibly. Do it in an established business or do it in your home and never, ever get behind the wheel if you’ve had too much to drink.
I tell people, honestly, the best practice, is if you had a beer, just Uber. If you think that you’re going to be drinking, have a designated driver. Have an Uber. Have a taxi. Something to make sure that you are protecting yourself and protecting the people around you as well.
Contact Us for a Low-Cost Initial Strategy Session
If you have questions about this or if you’ve already found yourself in a position where you’re facing charges over the holidays, absolutely give us a call. I’m Tulsa criminal lawyer Carl Birkhead with Wirth Law Office. And I want to help you make law easy. Call us today at 918-879-1681 to schedule a low-cost initial strategy session.
