Most federal prosecutions have years of investigation before the federal government submits an indictment. You should be just as prepared to present your defense. Preparing your case for court before your 1st appearance is half the battle to a successful pretrial negotiation or jury trial. Planning your trial strategy should start long before your first court appearance; then it’s just all about case trial management from that point on. The sooner you contact a lawyer, the better your chances are of being prepared and having a well planned defensive strategy to give you the best options when you arrive in court.