Arrested in Virginia? Defend Yourself and Protect Your Rights with an Aggressive Criminal Defense Attorney
No one ever expects to be arrested or accused of a crime. It is a frightening and unpleasant experience.
Whether you got in a fight that ended in an assault charge, or got pulled over and hit with a DUI. And especially if you thought you were being pulled over for speeding, and are suddenly facing a criminal charge of reckless driving!
And it doesn’t matter whether you know you are being screwed by the system, or you admit you made a mistake. Either way, you want answers about what could happen to you.
You need the best Virginia criminal defense lawyer you can find. Whether it is to fight the charges, or just minimize the damage and protect your future.
So, now you need to figure out what can happen to you and what you can do about it. The process is daunting, and there are so many questions:
- What criminal penalties am I facing, and what will happen to me if I am found guilty?
- Can I fight the charges? Can I win? Should I just try to work out a deal?
- Who is the best criminal defense lawyer to help me?
These are not simple questions with easy answers. And you need to keep in mind that any criminal conviction can follow you for the rest of your life. So pleading guilty is a decision you shouldn’t take lightly, without first speaking to an experienced Virginia criminal defense lawyer.
The law firms associated with VaCriminalDefenseLawyer.com have defended thousands of people just like you against criminal prosecution in Virginia, on charges ranging from simple drug possession or reckless driving to first degree murder. So let us offer our help.
Who Are We?
The Attorneys listed on VaCriminalDefenseLawyer.com are separate law firms working in different parts of Virginia. We are all Virginia Criminal Defense attorneys who fight criminal charges in courts across the state, with years of experience defending our clients facing criminal charges. So we know the law, the local criminal courts, and how these cases can be won. We fight cases from DUI and reckless driving to drug possession to assault, and more serious criminal offenses.
The attorneys featured on VaCriminalDefenseLawyer.com have successfully defended clients in nearly every court in Virginia, and are known individually as knowledgeable and aggressive attorneys who advocate for our client’s rights.
A local attorney who frequents the criminal court where you are charged can be an advantage for the client. We know the lay of the land, the judges, and how to work the system to get our clients the best deal.
And that’s important, particularly in cases where judges have a lot of discretion. For example, with common Virginia charges like reckless driving, it can be critically important to know how any given jurisdiction or judge is likely to respond to certain arguments.
Some judges are sympathetic to our extremely tough reckless driving laws, and are always willing to drop the charges down to improper driving or even a speeding ticket. But some other judges won’t be so cooperative, so a different approach may be necessary to get you a fair deal.
What Penalties Am I Facing and What Could Happen to Me?
The criminal laws of Virginia can be extremely complicated. There is a lot you need to know, and it can be difficult to find the answers you need to make a smart decision. It’s not realistic to expect you to figure all this out on your own, and think you can get the best deal possible without the advice of an experienced attorney.
While you would expect the more serious, felony level charges to have severe penalties and possible mandatory jail time if found guilty, any criminal conviction can have serious consequences to your life and future opportunities.
Having a criminal record in the age of cheap and common background checks over the internet can affect you in ways you’d never think of – the job you don’t get, the apartment you can’t rent, and more. It makes sense to make sure you’ve weighed the possibilities of fighting the charges, and have a realistic assessment of your chances.
For example, do you know that:
- Any drug possession conviction risks a license loss, regardless of whether or not you were arrested in a car. Can you afford to plead guilty and not be able to drive to work?
- Our reckless driving laws in Virginia are some of the toughest in the nation. You can be facing jail time just for driving more than 20mph over the speed limit. It is the same level of seriousness as a DUI charge (a Class 1 Misdemeanor offense).
Can you be sure that the prosecutor will tell you all you need to know, and give you a fair deal if you try to represent yourself in court?
Please browse this site and review the details and information I may have for any charges you are facing. I have detail & specific defense information on my DUI laws page and, on specific criminal penalties on my criminal charges page. And if you can’t find the answers you need, just contact us for a free consultation and we will be happy to give you specific advice on your case.
What Can I Do To Defend Myself and Fight Back?
In Virginia criminal & DUI defense practices, it is often critical to challenge the prosecution to prove every element of the alleged crime, and that all proper legal and police procedures were followed. Police and prosecutors often make mistakes, and it is your attorney’s job to protect you from their mistakes, to keep the system fair and honest.
Your attorney should challenge the police to establish that they:
- Properly advised you of your Miranda rights according to the law and police procedure
- Identified you fairly and legally
- Pulled your car over for legitimate reasons in a traffic stop
- Followed proper legal procedures in searching you and your property under state and Constitutional guidelines for search and seizure
- Followed proper police training and legal procedures in performing field sobriety tests, breathalyzer tests, controlled substance analysis, evidence gathering, and any other procedures required by law or training
- Can prove that any drug or controlled substance was legally in your possession, with your knowledge
In addition, the prosecuting district attorney also has a number of strict legal procedures that must be followed, including filing all charges in a timely fashion, making every piece of evidence available to the defense, and other important rules to make sure you are allowed due process under the law.
As attorneys who understand the system from both sides, we are always prepared to jump on any mistakes the government makes in trying to convict you.
There are, in fact, a tremendous number of things we can do in court on your behalf, to challenge the prosecution at every step.
Our attorneys will let you know exactly how we plan to defend you in court. In a case analysis, you’ll learn the facts about your case that we think can help, and what can be argued to bring about a dismissal or reduction of the charges, or a successful plea bargain that you can live with.
It is impossible for any lawyer to effectively spell out what he or she can do for you without speaking to you and getting all the facts necessary to analyze your case. Many defenses only reveal themselves after a significant investigation and discovery of the fact in your case.
But in a lawyer’s case evaluation, you’ll get a road map to the possible options that can help you.
How Will I Decide Who Can Help Me?
Now you’ve got to find a lawyer to help you. The impact of a criminal conviction on your record can be life changing, so you want to find the best criminal defense lawyer you can get. You may want to talk to a number of attorneys to help you decide who is the best attorney to help you. You should ask any prospective attorney the following questions:
- How many criminal cases like mine (DUI, drug possession, reckless driving, assault) have you handled?
- Can you tell me about cases you’ve won that are similar to my situation?
- What would your strategy be for my case? Do we have a realistic chance of winning?
In addition, you should also find an attorney who you feel comfortable with. Someone who is not only qualified to fight hard on your behalf, but who will also listen to you and help you. It is important that you have good communication with your attorney, and that he or she listens to you and your needs.
And you want to feel that your attorney is being honest with you, and not overestimating your chances just to get your business.
The lawyers featured on VaCriminalDefenseLawyer.com take pride in not just a batting average in court, but the satisfaction that clients have with the way we help them through a difficult time. Customer service is an important element of any legal practice.
While we hope to win every case, and do everything within our power to make that happen, sometimes the facts will go against us, or we’ll get a really tough judge or jury that won’t go along with reasonable legal arguments.
But we will keep fighting and see your case through to the best outcome that is possible.
So if you are facing a criminal charge in Virginia, whether it is a drunk driving case, drug possession, assault, reckless driving, or any other charge, please call now for a free, no obligation legal consultation. As part of your attorney evaluation process, give us a chance to prove to you who is the best lawyer to defend you. It’s a risk free opportunity for you to evaluate us, and learn something about the penalties you are facing, and how to defend them.
So call us now to find out for yourself.
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Virginia Criminal Defense Lawyers – VaCriminalDefenseLawyer.com
The Attorneys listed on VaCriminalDefenseLawyer.com are independent law firms with no affiliation or partnership.
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We represent clients in criminal courts across the Commonwealth of Virginia. If you’ve been arrested on any criminal charge in Virginia, call for a free, no obligation criminal defense consultation. We answer any questions you might have about your situation, give you an honest assessment of your case, and let you know how we can help. Call (888) 205-9314 to contact us and we will get back to you.