A 24/7 AI receptionist for criminal defense attorneys that answers calls about arrests and court dates, collects custody details, and gets an attorney on the line fast.
Why calls matter for criminal defense firms
Criminal defense calls are urgent and often come at night: a parent whose son was just arrested, someone with a court date next week, a person who just received a summons. These callers usually hire the first lawyer who answers and gives them a clear next step.
An AI receptionist answers every call around the clock, collects what an attorney needs, such as who was arrested, where they are held, and the next court date, and gets an attorney on the phone fast. It never discusses the facts of the case or gives legal advice.
Common call types
- Recent arrests and calls from family
- Upcoming court dates and arraignments
- New charges and summonses
- DUI and traffic cases
- Existing client updates
- Payment and retainer questions
Relevant automations
- 24/7 answering
- Arrest and custody intake
- Immediate attorney alerts and transfers
- Consultation booking
- Conflict check information capture
Business outcomes to measure
- Answer the calls that come at 2 a.m.
- Get attorneys the custody details they need
- Book consultations before families call another firm
- Keep case facts off unsecured channels
What a call sounds like
An illustrative example of a typical call. Your receptionist follows your own rules, services, and wording.
- Caller
- My son was arrested tonight and I don't know what to do.
- AI receptionist
- I'm sorry you're dealing with this. You've reached the virtual assistant for Carter Defense Law. I'll get your information to an attorney right away. What is your son's full name?
- Caller
- Daniel Brooks.
- AI receptionist
- Thank you. Do you know where he is being held?
- Caller
- The county jail downtown.
- AI receptionist
- Thank you. I'm connecting you to the on-call attorney now. Please don't share details about what happened on this call; the attorney will guide you.
What the AI receptionist asks
- Is this about you or someone else?
- Has the person been arrested, and where are they being held?
- What is their full name and date of birth?
- Do you know the charges or the booking number?
- When is the next court date?
- What is the best number to reach you right now?
Urgent calls go straight to a person
Someone was just arrested or is in custody
Transferred to the on-call attorney immediately, with the person's name, location, and the caller's number.
Court dates in the next few days
Flagged as urgent and routed to an attorney.
Callers in danger or describing violence
Told to call 911.
Works with your software
- Clio
- MyCase
- Lawmatics
- Smokeball
- PracticePanther
We connect through each vendor's API, webhooks, or a workflow tool. What is possible depends on your plan and the vendor's API access, which we confirm before quoting.
What to get right
- The receptionist never discusses case facts or gives legal advice. It collects contact and custody details only.
- Decide carefully whether intake calls are recorded, and limit who can access transcripts.
- Calls from jails are usually recorded by the facility, so attorneys, not the receptionist, should advise clients on what to say.
- Run conflict checks before an attorney discusses the matter.
Implementation approach
- Set your on-call attorney rotation and backup rules.
- Define intake questions and what must never be discussed.
- Connect your case management or intake CRM.
- Launch 24/7 and review every urgent call in the first month.
What it costs
Focused automations such as missed-call recovery typically cost $2,000 to $5,000 to build. A production AI receptionist with booking, CRM updates, and call transfers typically costs $5,000 to $15,000, plus monthly usage for calls and texts. Every quote is fixed-scope and in US dollars. See pricing details.
Frequently asked questions
Can an AI receptionist answer criminal defense calls at night?
Yes. It answers 24/7, collects arrest and custody details, and transfers or alerts your on-call attorney.
Will it discuss the case?
No. It collects contact and custody information only and tells callers the attorney will advise them.
Are calls recorded?
That is your choice. Many firms limit recording on intake calls; we configure recording and access to match your policy.
Does it work with Clio or MyCase?
We connect through the vendor's API or a workflow tool, subject to your plan and the vendor's API access.
What if the on-call attorney does not answer?
It follows your backup rules, tries the next person, and promises the caller a callback within the time you set.