Short answer
You can help by finding a lawyer or helping request appointed counsel, tracking court dates, and gathering information about the vehicle for the attorney. The case and its decisions belong to your family member, and the attorney represents them, not the family. Avoid discussing the facts with police without the attorney’s guidance.
First steps
- Find out the charges and the next court date, and where the case is pending.
- Get a lawyer involved. If your family member can’t afford one, they can ask the court for a public defender or appointed counsel. The Supreme Court has held that a person “too poor to hire a lawyer” can’t be assured a fair trial without one (Gideon v. Wainwright).
- Keep the paperwork together: charging documents, release conditions and court notices.
Your role and the lawyer’s
The attorney represents your family member, even if you help pay. Your family member makes the decisions in the case, with the attorney’s advice. What the attorney can share with you may be limited by confidentiality, so ask them how they’d like you to help and what they can discuss with you.
Before talking with your family member about what happened, ask the attorney how to handle those conversations, including over jail phones or video systems. Statements to police can be used as evidence. A person in custody must be told of “the right to remain silent” before interrogation (Miranda v. Arizona).
Information about the vehicle
A camera record shows a vehicle, not a driver. If the car is shared, information about who uses it can matter. Collect it for the attorney, not the police:
- who owns the vehicle and who it’s registered to;
- who has keys and who regularly drives it;
- who had it on the dates in question, and anything that shows that.
See vehicle identification is not driver identification.
Why timing matters
ALPR data is deleted on a schedule set by the agency and sometimes by state law. Flock recommends a 7-day default, and agencies with an approved longer period kept it. Some states cap retention at 21 days. Records that aren’t preserved may be gone, so raise preservation with the attorney early. See how long Flock camera data is kept.
Understanding the evidence
- What it means when police say a Flock camera saw a car
- Charged after a Flock camera hit: what happens next
- Questions to ask the attorney (printable)
- The ALPR law in your state
Law varies by state. State constitutions, statutes and courts may treat this issue differently from federal law. A licensed attorney in your jurisdiction can tell you how it applies.
Sources
- OpinionGideon v. Wainwright372 U.S. 335 (1963)
- OpinionMiranda v. Arizona384 U.S. 436 (1966)
- VendorFlock Safety, “How Flock Protects” (data privacy and trust page)Accessed 2026-11-05
- SecondaryPolice1, “Flock Safety sets 7-day default for ALPR data, adds mandatory misuse safeguards”August 14, 2026
Related
- Charged After a Flock Camera Hit: What Happens NextWhat happens after a criminal charge that began with a Flock camera hit: the stages of the case, your rights, why ALPR records need early attention, and what to gather.
- Vehicle Identification Is Not Driver IdentificationA Flock camera can record a vehicle and its plate. It generally does not establish who was driving. Here's why that distinction matters in a criminal case.
- Questions to Ask a Defense Attorney About ALPR EvidenceA printable checklist of 22 questions to ask a criminal defense attorney about Flock and license plate reader evidence: records, accuracy, the stop, identity and deadlines.