Arrests happen at 2am. Families still reach you.
A mother calls at midnight: her son was booked into county jail and his arraignment is in the morning. If she hits voicemail, she keeps dialing until another defense lawyer answers. Phoneman answers, takes the details you need, and writes up every call.
- Free to start
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The calls you getWhat it handles for criminal defense lawyers.
- Someone in custodyCaptures: Who is held, which jail if the caller knows, and how to reach the family
- Warrants and detectivesCaptures: Whether a warrant is out now or a detective asked to talk, and when
- New charges and court datesCaptures: The charge as the caller names it, such as a DUI, plus the court date and court if known
- Expungement and record sealingCaptures: What the caller wants cleared, in their own words, and how to reach them
The details you need, every time.
- Who is calling and how they know the person charged
- Who was arrested or charged, and whether they are held now
- The court date, and the court or jail if the caller knows
- New matter, current client, or the court or prosecutor calling
- The best number for the caller, or for someone acting for the person held
“My brother got picked up for a DUI tonight and he’s still at the county jail.”
- Summary
- Caller’s brother was arrested tonight on a DUI and is held now at the county jail. Caller does not know the court date. Reachable at the number given all night.
- Asked for
- A lawyer for her brother
- Next step
- Call back now
- ImportantDetective left a card asking the caller to come in and talkCall back today
- LowAsking whether you offer payment plansAnswered from your approved answer
Urgent calls first.
- Someone the caller says is in custody now
- Police at the door, or a warrant out now
- A court date today or tomorrow
- A new charge
- A court date a few weeks out
- A detective or investigator asking to talk
- Office hours and parking near the courthouse
- Payment plans, from your approved answer
It answers. You decide.
- Stop a caller who starts describing what happened, and say you will want to hear it directly
- Take only a name, where they are held and a contact when someone calls from a jail
- Mark someone in custody, or a warrant out now, Urgent
- Offer to connect a caller to you, if they agree, when you have call transfers turned on
- Ask what happened or whether anyone did it
- Tell a caller what to say to the police, or guess at a sentence
- Post bail, recommend a bondsman, or relay messages to someone in custody
- Promise that a lawyer will go to the jail or the courthouse
- A caller asks: “Do you handle juvenile cases?”
- You approve: “Yes, in Ridgeway and Sutter counties. A parent can call on their child’s behalf.”
- Next time: The next parent whose teenager was cited hears that you handle juvenile matters in those counties.
Transfers, with consent. A family member calls at 7am because the arraignment is at nine. With call transfers on, Phoneman asks if they want to be put through, then rings your cell; outside the hours you set, it takes a message marked Urgent.
Make it yours.
Callers first hear your assistant say it’s the AI assistant; that line can’t be changed. This is what it says next. Replace {business} with your business name.
Thanks for calling {business}. Is someone in custody right now, or are you calling about a charge or a court date?
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Compare plans and estimate your minutesWhat if someone calls from the jail?
It stops them from describing what happened, says the lawyer will want to hear it directly, and takes only their name, where they are held and a way to reach them or someone for them.
Will it tell a caller whether to talk to the detective?
No. It never tells anyone what to say or not say to the police. A detective asking to talk is marked Important so you can call back.
Can it help a family with bail?
No. It does not post or arrange bail or recommend a bondsman. If you approve an answer about your fees, it shares that and takes a message.
Does it pick up in the middle of the night?
Yes. Forward after-hours calls to Phoneman and each arrest call is written up with the jail and court details, waiting when you check your phone.
Never miss another call.
Set it up in about 3 minutes, call it yourself, and forward your calls only when you’re happy.