There are a number of strategies that can be employed in defending a larceny or theft charge in Manassas depending on the facts and circumstances of the case. Sometimes it is a matter of challenging whether there is proof that whatever was taken was actually taken by the accused. In other circumstances, the defense will challenge the value of those goods, which can be the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony.
In still other cases, the defense will look at whether there was an intent to permanently deprive the owner of that property or whether the item was merely being borrowed. There are a number of other defenses that can apply to this kind of case which depend entirely on the facts and circumstances of the government’s evidence.
The role a criminal lawyer plays when representing someone charged with theft is to challenge all of the government’s evidence including challenging any witnesses that they may have. Additionally, the criminal lawyer will bring forward any evidence, whether it’s physical evidence or testimonial evidence which favors their client and which tends to either prove them innocent or create a reasonable doubt about whether they are guilty under the evidence of the government’s case. Finally, the lawyer’s role is to keep the client well informed and guide them through every step of the process so that there are no surprises.
A theft lawyer can help someone charged with theft understand the process of confronting the criminal system. The courts are complicated and sometimes frightening places and having a good idea of what to expect and how the process proceeds is important and it often gives people a great deal of comfort as they go through the legal process.
In addition to that, someone charged with theft is going to find that they have an ally and an advocate on their side who is going to help them in putting their best foot forward. Also, a left lawyer can help challenge – in every way possible – the evidence that the government will bring forward to attempt to obtain a conviction.
There are some possibilities for probation or reduced sentences for larceny charges in Manassas. However, this is one of the harshest jurisdictions in Northern Virginia on these kinds of cases. Most of the time, the government will be looking for at least a two day jail sentence in connection with a larceny conviction. In many cases, they will offer to amend the charge to trespass or even to dismiss the charge entirely, but in each of these cases they are looking for a more significant amount of jail time to be served before they will do that.
The best approach in these kinds of cases is to aggressively challenge the government’s evidence and expose any weaknesses that exists in the case in order to prevail at trial, or get the best plea offer possible.
If you are charged with theft, you should contact a criminal lawyer as soon as you have been arrested or served with the summons in your case and release. There are steps that can be taken immediately in order to assist you with the defense, including preventing any new evidence from being created, and there are opportunities could be lost if you delay in seeking the advice of counsel.
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