Why the First 24 Hours of Arrest Can Determine a Criminal Case

Criminal defense lawyer Shlomi Bizak says the first day after an arrest, often called the “golden hours,” can shape the entire case. He argues that many ordinary people with no criminal record make critical mistakes immediately after being detained, and those mistakes can keep them in custody for a long time. According to Bizak, once a suspect is arrested, police can hold them for up to 24 hours, after which they must be brought before a detention judge. In cases involving serious danger or a real risk of obstructing an investigation, that first court appearance can determine whether the suspect goes home or remains behind bars.

Bizak describes the initial detention stage as like playing chess blindfolded. Defense lawyers, he says, are working without access to the evidence, while the police present the full file to the court. In that situation, he says, the lawyer’s job is to press the prosecution, extract clues, and persuade the judge to focus on whether there is reasonable suspicion and whether detention grounds are truly justified.

He highlights three common errors that can worsen a suspect’s position, refusing to consult a lawyer because they believe asking for help signals guilt, giving a vague statement or staying completely silent, and trying to contact victims, complainants, or witnesses to “clear things up,” which can itself become grounds for detention or an obstruction charge. Bizak recalled one extreme case in which a client smashed his phone in a police interview room on camera. The original case was later closed for lack of guilt, but he was still indicted separately for obstructing the investigation.

Bizak also described a recent case involving a quiet accounting student arrested on suspicion of severe domestic violence. Police presented photos of a woman with a broken wrist and argued he was dangerous. Bizak’s team gathered family members overnight, photographed the chaotic apartment scene, showed that the woman had attacked him first, and brought suitable supervisors and an argument about geographic distance, she was in Haifa and the alternative custody plan was in Ashdod. The court accepted the defense and released him at the first detention hearing, although an indictment was later filed. Bizak said winning early means the defendant fights from home, not from a jail cell.