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Culpeper Criminal Lawyer

When facing criminal charges in Culpeper, it is important to know that Culpeper is a very separate county from the other counties in Northern Virginia and as such a charge in Alexandria, or Arlington, or Fairfax will not necessarily end up the same way as the same charge in Culpeper.

The judges really know and trust the officers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, so everybody is going to know what happened in your case from the outside. In other Virginia counties, a person’s case might get lost in a shuffle, or it might drag on for months and months. However, in Culpeper, a person’s case is going to be dealt with quickly, swiftly, and thoroughly.

Furthermore, in Culpeper, a criminal conviction can have very serious consequences, both short-term and long-term. For this reason, if a person is facing criminal charges, it is crucial that they retain a Culpeper criminal lawyer immediately to ensure they have the opportunity to combat the penalties for their charges. A qualified attorney can use their knowledge of the Culpeper area as well as their experience in previous cases to build the strongest defense possible.

Misdemeanor vs. Felony Charges

The difference between felonies and misdemeanors in Culpeper is the same as the difference between felonies and misdemeanors across the State of Virginia. Depending on how the Code is written, different categories of crimes are labeled as felonies, while others are labeled as misdemeanors.

Culpeper prosecutors treat felonies very differently from misdemeanors. Not only are there different court procedures that a person has to go through in order to deal with a felony offense, but there are also different punishments for felonies, even non-violent felonies.

Felonies are always going to be more serious than misdemeanors; misdemeanors carry up to 12 months in jail and up to a $2,500 fine. Felonies carry 12 months in jail up to life in prison, and up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in fines depending on what you’re charged with making it imperative a criminal lawyer in Culpeper is consulted with.

Long-Term Consequences

Although misdemeanors are less serious than felonies they can still have a number of long-term consequences especially if the individual convicted holds a security clearance. In these cases, the individual may have to disclose this information to their employer or to the security background check, depending on what the rules are in their particular company or branch of government, and it will certainly affect their security clearance.

For a felony conviction, on the other hand, a person loses their civil rights such as the right to vote and the right to possess firearms.  Felony convictions also present a significant barrier to employment, housing, and loans. With these consequences in mind, it is often in the best interest of those accused to consult with a Culpeper criminal lawyer who can assist both in building a strong defense and mitigating any damage caused as a result.

Contacting an Attorney

If a person is facing criminal charges, an experienced criminal defense attorney in Culpeper can help guide them through the process of their case. A lawyer can tell them exactly what the judges and the prosecutors are likely to do, and how certain charges are generally treated specifically in Culpeper.

It is important for a person to contact a Culpeper criminal lawyer early on in their case because the sooner they speak with an attorney, the sooner the attorney can start working on their behalf. For example, there are situations where an attorney may be able to speak with the person even before they have been charged with a specific crime.

An attorney can then find out exactly what happened to help minimize the impact of any statements the person made, to help facilitate the conversation with the police officers so that they don’t ultimately get charged, or even to help the person reduce the contact that police officers have with their family. Additionally, if a person is charged with the crime and there is a warrant out for their arrest, an attorney will be able to help them facilitate a peaceful turn in so that they are not arrested in an embarrassing fashion in front of friends and/or family.

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