Handling Criminal Charges in Norfolk

When someone is charged with a crime, the first thing that they should do is exercise their right to remain silent and then immediately contact an attorney. Laws are consistent throughout Virginia, with only a few differences per jurisdiction. This is because each court is going to do things their own way, and there is some room for interpretation in a lot of the laws.

Therefore, even if you are in Norfolk and live in a different part of the Commonwealth, it is going to be better to have a local Norfolk criminal defense attorney represent you. They will understand the local jurisdiction better than someone who has never practiced in the area.

If You Live Outside Norfolk

If you are not local to Norfolk, it will likely make defending your charges a little bit more difficult. The best thing to do in this situation is to get an attorney who is local to Norfolk who can help guide you through the process.

Sometimes coming back to Norfolk is not very easy, but for criminal charges it will be required. Having an attorney make it possible for you to have the case continued and then possibly choose a date that works better for both you. It is also important to have someone local to the area who can tell you about the local rules that may or may not be the same in your own jurisdiction or state.

Three Things to Know About Facing Criminal Charges

First they should know that all criminal charges are taken very seriously in Norfolk by the Norfolk courts and will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law. There is nothing here in Norfolk that the judges would be lenient on unless you have a strong defense.

Second, everyone should know that a Norfolk criminal lawyer can and does make a difference. Hiring one to defend you against criminal charges is a very important choice that should not be overlooked. Penalties for criminal charges are potentially high with the conviction lasting a lifetime. It is important to reach out to an attorney  you are comfortable with.

Third, the Norfolk court system is one of the busiest. This means it is not uncommon to appear in court and then have to wait a few hours for your case to be called. With this in mind, people should take steps in advance to make sure they allow themselves adequate time in court, and do not mistakenly believe their appearance will only take up the length of a lunch break.

What Clients Ask Their Lawyer

When people are charged with a crime in Norfolk the most popular questions are, “What is going to happen to me? Am I going to go to jail? How can I get out of this? Is this going to affect my job?”

What do you think that they should ask at first? Those are pretty fair questions. It is important to know what you are facing and also how these charges are going to affect you going forward.

A good question to ask though instead of dwelling so much on what may happen to you is, “What can I do to help myself going forward?” It is easy to worry about whether you are going to jail, but it is a lot more productive to do something that will prevent that from happening.