What should I do if my relative was arrested? 2 Answers as of July 21, 2010

If the accused financially qualifies, they are entitled to a public defender. There are pros and cons to the public defender's services.

The pros: you get representation if you cannot otherwise afford an attorney. They do nothing but criminal law and are in the courts every day.

The cons: they are unfortunately notoriously overworked and cannot give any one case a ton of attention. You cannot choose your attorney. You get whoever is assigned to your case. There are excellent public defenders and there are ones that are less than stellar. The same can be said with private attorneys, but with the PD, you won't get a choice in the matter. You could also be getting a brand new lawyer.

Good luck.

He should try to avoid jail time by utilizing Deferred Entry Judgment or Prop 36 to get him into a diversion/rehabilitation program instead of incarceration.