Writing a Website Page for the Relative Who Makes the First Call

When someone is arrested, the person who searches for a lawyer is often a parent or a spouse. The accused may be sitting in a holding cell with no phone and no way to read a website. So the first visit to a defense firm's site, and often the first call, comes from someone who is not the client and may never become one.

Most defense websites are written to the accused. "You were arrested. Here is what to do next." That copy reads oddly to a mother at 2 a.m. who wants to know whether her son will be home by morning. A page written for the relative, in the relative's own words, can decide whether she calls your office or closes the tab.

Why the relative needs a page of their own

A relative arrives with a different set of questions. They want to know where the person is being held, when a judge will see them, whether a family member can pay the fee and how much they will be told about the case. The accused, once released, cares about the charge and what the prosecution can prove. Those are two readers with two agendas, and one charge page rarely serves both.

A dedicated page also gives the family something to pass around. Relatives share links in group texts. A page titled "Helping a family member who has been arrested" is far easier to forward than a DUI page full of statute numbers and penalty tables.

What the page should answer first

Start with the practical facts the caller is chasing. Keep each answer short and specific to your county where you can confirm the details.

• How to find out where someone is being held, including the name of your county's inmate lookup tool if one exists
• When people arrested in your area are usually brought before a judge, stated generally unless you have confirmed the local schedule
• What the firm can do before the first court date
• How to reach the firm after hours and who will answer the phone

Avoid promises about outcomes or timelines. A line like "we can get your loved one released fast" is the kind of claim state bars look at closely. Check your state bar's advertising rules before you publish anything that sounds like a prediction.

Be honest about confidentiality

This is the section most firms skip, and it prevents the most awkward phone calls. Relatives often assume that paying the fee means hearing everything. Explain plainly that the lawyer represents the person charged, that private conversations between lawyer and client are protected, and that information shared with other people in the room may lose that protection. Keep it general. Privilege rules differ from state to state, so the page should invite readers to ask the lawyer about their own situation instead of offering a legal answer.

If your firm tells families not to talk about the facts of the case on jail phone calls, which are usually recorded, say so here. Phrase it as a caution and make sure it matches the advice your lawyers actually give.

Explain who pays and who decides

Third party payment is common in criminal defense. ABA Model Rule 1.8(f) lets a lawyer accept a fee from someone other than the client only when the client gives informed consent, the payer does not interfere with the lawyer's independent judgment and client information stays protected. States have adopted their own versions with different wording, so confirm yours before quoting it on the page.

Then translate the rule into plain terms. A parent can pay the fee. The client still makes the decisions about the case, such as whether to accept a plea offer. The lawyer cannot share details with the parent without the client's permission. Saying this up front builds trust, because it shows the firm will protect the person in custody, which is exactly what the relative wants.

Make the first call easy

The relative is reaching out for someone else, so your intake process should expect that. A contact form can ask "Are you contacting us for yourself or for someone else?" and then request the arrested person's full name and the county where the arrest happened. A short note about what happens after they submit the form lowers the urge to call four other firms at the same time.

It helps to know which searches bring relatives to a site in the first place. This breakdown of where families search in the first hours after an arrest covers the phrases they type and the places they look before they ever reach a firm's homepage.

Keep the tone steady

Write the way a calm lawyer sounds on the phone. Use short sentences. Define any legal term in the same line you use it. Skip dramatic photos of handcuffs and squad cars, since a frightened relative does not need the website to add to the fear.

If you want more material on this audience, the collection of guides on how families find legal representation looks at how relatives compare firms and what they read before they pick up the phone.

Questions about pages for family members

Should a family page target a search phrase?

Yes, if one fits. Phrases such as "my son was arrested" or "how to help someone in jail" combined with your city are worth testing. Write for the reader first and place the phrase where it reads naturally.

Does every charge page need a family section?

No. One well built family page, linked from each charge page, usually works better than repeating the same paragraphs across the site.

Can we list bail amounts on the page?

Bail schedules vary by county and change over time. If you mention bail, point readers to the official county source and avoid quoting dollar figures that may go out of date.

SBD Marketing works only with criminal defense law firms, and only with one firm in each city. It builds websites and runs SEO for defense firms, including work on getting firms named in AI search tools such as ChatGPT and Perplexity.