Lawrence District Court

Do you have a summons arraignment in the Lawrence District Court? Were you arrested in Andover, Lawrence, Methuen, or North Andover? If the answer is yes, you may wish to talk with a Lawrence District Court criminal defense attorney, before your arraignment at 9 o’clock in the morning at the courthouse located at 2 Appleton Street, Lawrence, MA.

The first thing that you need to do is go to the probation department on the first floor at the right hand side of the building. Ask one of the staff who are behind the counter to do an “intake” for you. The intake involves giving the probation department information about where you live, what you do for work, and other demographic information so the Court can run a background check. After leaving the probation department, you next go into to the First Session in the Lawrence District Court and wait for your case to be called.

You are waiting for what is called an arraignment. An arraignment is the formal time when you are provided with a police report, a complaint (which is the formal notice of the charges), and where issues of bail and conditions are discussed and argued before the judge. Cash bail is a system that is still used in Essex County and in the Lawrence District Court. A prosecutor who believes that you may not come to court based on the alleged facts of the case, any prior involvement with the court system, or other information the police have, may ask for an amount of bail that you risk losing if you fail to come back. If the judge believes that you are a flight risk, the judge could impose cash bail as well. Alternatively, the prosecutor may ask that there be different pretrial conditions, or things that you need to or cannot do while the case is pending, to make sure that either someone is safe, or the new charges are less likely to arise. In serious cases, the prosecutor can do things to hold you in custody while the case is pending.

This is where having an experienced Lawrence District Court criminal defense attorney is very valuable to your defense. Your criminal defense attorney can argue with the DA regarding whether and the conditions of probation are appropriate, if cash bail is required, and what amount of bail (if any) is necessary. Making a compelling and compassionate argument of why your case is distinct from anyone else who might be in a similar situation is one of the keys to preventing a large cash bail which could result in you being held in jail for days, weeks, or even through the entirety of the case. It is at that first moment in court that having an attorney who knows you and your case and is dedicated towards achieving the best results for you is important. You also want an attorney who is experienced before the judges in Lawrence and Essex County.

There are several different charges that can proceed in the Lawrence District Court: any misdemeanor offense, many felony offenses, and even some serious offenses like trafficking drugs, domestic violence, motor vehicle charges like operating under the influence of alcohol (OUI) and negligent operation, and even white-collar crimes. If your case is very serious, the case may even go to the Lawrence Superior Court or the Salem Superior Court.

Ryan Sullivan is an experienced criminal defense Attorney in the Lawrence District Court. Call (617) 997-7597, or send us an email to discuss your case. Attorney Sullivan uses the experiences he gained as a prosecutor to now fight vigorously, effectively, and passionately for all of his clients. Whether coming into our office in nearby Lowell, our conveniently located office in Newton, or having a telephone conversation with Ryan, during your initial discussion he can explain to you what you need to know for the arraignment, what will occur after the first court appearance, and develop a strategy going forward. See for yourself why Ryan has incredible client satisfaction for those he has previously helped to achieve the best results possible.