⚖️ Legal Follow-Through & Jail Support

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Why It Matters

When community members are arrested or detained, pods often need to navigate bail, liaise with lawyers, and provide emotional and material support.
Handled poorly, these efforts can burn out volunteers, breach confidentiality, or endanger impacted people.

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What You'll Learn

1. Bail Coordination Basics – How to locate, vet, fund, and post bail quickly and securely.
2. Legal Liaison Skills – Acting as a bridge between pods, lawyers, and families.
3. Confidentiality Protocols – Secure note-keeping and never over-collecting personal data.
4. Post-Release Support – Trauma-aware care, rides, basic needs kits, and housing.
5. Jail System Navigation – Understanding processing times, system searches, visitation rules, and medication policies.
6. Burnout Prevention – Rotation systems, buddy pairs, and hard stop policies.

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Quick Action Steps

1. Build and maintain a verified contact list of bail funds, attorneys, and legal aid (encrypted and backed up).
2. Train at least one dedicated legal liaison per pod.
3. Keep written, encrypted notes on each case, avoiding over-collection of personal info.
4. Create a basic post-release kit (water, snacks, clean clothes, blanket, list of resources).
5. Rotate volunteers — no more than 6 consecutive hours per shift.

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Bail Coordination Essentials

• Vet Bail Funds: Only work with trusted, registered funds or those vouched by 2+ pods.
• Secure Payments: Use bonded bail agents or encrypted payment systems (never personal accounts).
• Tracking Custody: Use secure spreadsheets (offline copies) to track who is still detained, without unnecessary details.

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Legal Liaison Scripts

For Attorneys:
"Our group has X individuals arrested at Y location. We’d like to confirm their status and arrange legal representation. We’re not discussing case facts over this channel."

For Families:
"We can confirm your loved one is safe and in custody. We’ll update you once we have verified details. Here’s a legal contact number you can call."

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Trauma-Informed Post-Release Support

• Immediate Care: Offer water, snacks, warmth, and a calm ride.
• Consent First: Always ask before touching, hugging, or photographing.
• Psychological First Aid: Listen, don’t press for details, and avoid legal advice.
• Follow-Up: Connect them to medical care, counseling, or housing as needed.

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Jail Navigation Quick Reference

• Typical processing times (varies by jurisdiction — maintain a cheat sheet).
• Locate someone: Use jail phone numbers or online search portals (if safe).
• Visitation: Know local policies for visits and phone calls.
• Medication: Be ready to advocate for prescribed medication access.

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When to Escalate

• Contact the National Lawyers Guild if local counsel is unavailable.
• Activate missing person protocols if someone disappears from custody tracking.
• Request medical intervention if injuries or medical neglect are suspected.

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Risks & Red Lines

• Never discuss case details over unencrypted channels.
• Never lie to attorneys or families.
• Never promise bail or outcomes you can’t guarantee.
• If a person is being targeted through the jail system, immediately:
  1. Notify legal team,
  2. Secure all related communications,
  3. Activate pod security protocols.

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Decision Flow (Visual Guide)

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Checklist

• Has memorized local jail intake phone numbers.
• Knows at least one local bail fund and bonded bail agent.
• Can explain bail vs. bond to new volunteers.
• Knows local NLG contact info.
• Can act as a secure legal liaison without breaching privilege.
• Can coordinate post-release care and transport.

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Resource Appendix

• Local Jail Support Cheat Sheet (processing times, contact numbers)
• Template Case Tracking Sheet (secure, minimal data)
• Scripts for Jail & Lawyer Calls (sample provided in course packet)