# The AI receptionist for criminal defense lawyers, awake when the arrest happens An AI receptionist for criminal defense lawyers answers every call, including the 2 a.m. call from a worried parent. It takes the name of the person charged, where they are held, the charge as the caller understands it, and any court date, then transfers urgent calls to your phone or books a consultation. It never gives legal advice. ## Why criminal defense lawyers miss calls - **Arrests happen overnight:** Most criminal calls come from family members right after an arrest, often late at night or on a weekend. If your line goes to voicemail, they keep dialing down the list until another defense lawyer answers. - **Callers are panicked:** A frightened spouse or parent may not know the charge, the precinct, or the next court date. Getting clear details out of them takes patience that a voicemail box cannot offer and a busy attorney rarely has at midnight. - **You cannot always pick up:** You are in court, in a jail visit, or in trial prep for hours at a time. Every call you miss during the day might be a new client with an arraignment coming up quickly. ## Calls Vocenya answers for criminal defense lawyers - Family calling about a recent arrest - DWI and DUI charges - Upcoming court dates and hearings - Warrants and summonses - Existing clients with questions - Calls from prosecutors and courts - Expungement inquiries ## Why do criminal defense lawyers need 24/7 answering? Because arrests happen at night and on weekends, and the person calling is usually a family member who wants help right now. An AI receptionist answers every one of those calls in your office’s name. It gathers the details you need to act, such as the name of the person charged, the precinct or jail, the charge as the caller understands it, and any court date, and it can transfer the call to your cell. The caller gets a real response instead of a voicemail tone. ## What does a criminal defense answering service ask callers? You write the questions. Most offices start with the full name and date of birth of the person charged, where they are being held, the county or borough, what they were told about the charges, whether there is a court date, and the caller’s relationship and contact number. The assistant asks one thing at a time and accepts “I don’t know” without pushing. Everything lands in a text or email summary when the call ends. ## Will the AI tell callers what to do after an arrest? No. It does not advise on bail, statements to police, or plea options, and it does not predict outcomes or quote fees unless you give it approved wording, such as a consultation fee. When asked, it explains that the attorney will need to speak with them and gets them to you as quickly as possible. It also identifies itself as a virtual assistant rather than a person, and it stays patient with callers who are frightened or angry. ## Can urgent calls reach me directly? Yes. You set which calls get transferred live, for example any call about an arrest in the last 24 hours. The assistant warm transfers to your cell or to an associate, and you see the summary first. If nobody answers, it tells the caller you have been notified and sends the details by text. Non-urgent matters, such as expungement questions or old traffic warrants, can simply be booked as consultations during your office hours. ## Frequently asked questions ### Can the AI accept calls from someone in jail? The assistant answers any call that reaches your number. Some jail phone systems use prompts or require accepting charges, and those calls may not connect to an automated line. Family members, who make most first calls, reach the assistant normally. ### Does it quote my fees? Only if you want it to. You can give it a fixed consultation fee or a retainer starting point to share, or tell it to say that the attorney will discuss fees directly. It will never guess or promise a price. ### Does it speak Spanish or Russian? Yes. The assistant speaks English, Spanish, Russian and Ukrainian today and can switch during the call. That helps defense lawyers who serve families in Brighton Beach, Washington Heights, Passaic or Elizabeth get the details straight on the first call, even late at night. ### Can I have a human answer when I can’t? Yes. GH Live is a trained human agent who takes over the call with the AI’s summary in front of them, for example when a caller insists on speaking with a person. It is an add-on from $3.50 per call. ### How does it know which calls are urgent? You set the rules. Recent arrests, active warrants and court dates within a few days are typical triggers. The assistant listens for those details, marks the call urgent in your summary, and attempts a warm transfer. Everything else gets a booked consultation or a message. --- Source: https://vocenya.com/industries/criminal-defense-lawyers Vocenya, powered by GH Business Solutions. Plans from $49/month with a 14-day free trial: https://vocenya.com/pricing