Kenton County

What Happens after An Arrest in Kenton County?

If not prior, a defendant should immediately exercise their right to remain silent as soon as they are arrested or detained. If you are arrested in Covington, Taylor Mill, Erlanger, Ludlow, or anywhere else in Kenton County, you are typically taken to the Kenton County Detention Center in Covington, Kentucky.

The judge will talk to pretrial services and set a bond. A defendant should talk to pretrial services as well which will verify your name, age, address and work information. This information, together with criminal history and the charges will be considered by the Judge in setting the bond.

While the legal advice is generally to exercise your right to remain silent, giving the Court your personal information is in your best interest to having the lowest bond. Pretrial will not ask you information about your case.

If you are bailed out (post the bond), the jail will give you a notice of when to next appear in court. If you are not able to post bond, you will appear in court via video arraignment on the next business day at the District Court located at 230 Madison Ave., Courtroom 1A, Covington, Kentucky.

This initial appearance is called the Arraignment and is an opportunity to plead guilty or not guilty. If you are charged with a felony, the court will enter an “not guilty” plea at this time and set the case for a preliminary hearing. If you are charged with a misdemeanor, you may either plead “guilty” and the court will immediately impose sentence or you may plead “not guilty” and the matter will be set for a pretrial conference or a trial.

If you do not engage an attorney prior to the Arraignment, it is wise to plead “not guilty” and seek the advice of counsel. An attorney can explain your rights and your options. A defendant can always choose to plead guilty at a later time.

An attorney can determine the likelihood of begin found not guilty, the potential defenses to the matter and negotiate the best deal possible. A defendant should make every effort to obtain counsel as early as possible in the process.

If you, or a family member, have been arrested in Covington, Ft. Mitchell, Erlanger, Ft. Wright, Elsmere or elsewhere in Kenton County, Kentucky, call Covington Criminal Lawyer Mike Bouldin immediately for assistance at 859-582-6453.