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Richmond Robbery Lawyer

Being charged with robbery is very serious in Richmond, Virginia. Instead of a misdemeanor, it is a felony, which means that it will have stricter penalties and a longer jail sentence. If you have been charged with robbery, contacting a Richmond theft attorney is one of the first steps you should take. They will be able to provide you with the appropriate representation and legal advice.

Defintion of Robbery

In the city of Richmond, robbery constitutes entering a dwelling or a property with the intent to commit larceny or take items. To show robbery in Richmond, it must be shown that you entered the property either through  force or without permission, and that you entered the property with the intent to steal or remove items. The charges can escalate if force was used or if any of the property was significantly damaged.

Robbery in Richmond is a serious felony. It can range from a Class 2 to a Class 5 felony, depending on the charges. It can result in prison sentences of five to ten years, and sometimes even for life if it is an issue regarding carjacking. There are mandatory minimum sentences ranging from up to three years for a first offense, and up to five years for a second or subsequent offense.

What the Prosecution Must Prove

The prosecution has to show that a person entered a property or committed some sort of violence against a person to deprive them of an item, or that a person threatened them with force or a weapon. They also have to show that items were removed or that an individual was in fear of their safety.

Qualities to Look for in a Richmond Robbery Attorney

With a robbery charge, it is very important to hire competent legal counsel. A person is going to want an experienced Richmond robbery lawyer who is comfortable arguing in court, that is aware of the various judges and prosecutors in the city of Richmond and knows how to speak with them, and that is comfortable cross-examining witnesses and examining cases of this magnitude.

Richmond robbery attorneys experienced in handling these kinds of cases know the various evidentiary standards, or the legal burden of proof, the prosecution has to present. They have to show that you entered the property by force or with the intent to commit larceny. These cases will also be very witness-dependent or victim-dependent, so you want an experienced robbery attorney who is comfortable cross-examining witnesses and impeaching their testimony, if that can be shown. Lastly, you want an attorney who knows how to handle and negotiate these cases because the possible penalties are so significant.

How Experience Factors Into a Strong Defense

In many cases, an experienced Richmond robbery attorney can challenge all the evidence the prosecutor is going to attempt to show, whether that is cross-examining the witnesses, challenging video or audio evidence presented, challenging the arrest, or challenging any of other evidence presented.

The defense attorney is going to make the prosecutor’s job more difficult through their experience in handling these cases, which can result in a plea offer by the prosecutor if they think the case will be difficult for them to prove that a possible hole exits in the case.

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