Steps to Take After A Criminal Charge in Henrico County

Generally speaking Henrico is considered to be both a tough and rather conservative jurisdiction. As a result, both the prosecutors and judges in Henrico County tend to be very tough in trying and sentencing criminal cases.

For this reason, it is important to call a Henrico County criminal lawyer as soon as possible to develop a solid legal defense while demonstrating mitigating factors so that prosecutors will consider potentially reducing your charges or offering alternative sentencing. To discuss your case and begin building your defense call and schedule a consultation today.

Step 1: Hire An Attorney With Experience in Henrico

If you are charged with a crime in Henrico County, the first thing you should do is contact an attorney in Henrico County to discuss what options are available to you, to learn about the law you are being charged with violating, and then if you learn about the possible penalties that could be imposed on you and how they can affect not only your present day, but also your future.

Step 2: Follow Your Attorney’s Directions

After hiring an attorney, the second thing you can do is to follow the directions of your attorney.  During an initial consult many attorneys will provide the client with a list of things they can do to help prepare the case.  This may range from a list of character references to entering into drug counseling.

All of these recommendations are extremely helpful to your case and allow you and your attorney to present a better picture of who you are to the prosecutor.  These efforts can often help us get a case reduced or the punishment mitigated.

Step 3: Stay in Contact With Your Attorney

Another step you can take is to stay in touch with your attorney and help them develop the case. Many times clients will hire an attorney and then disappear until the day of court. You need to stay active in your case, you need to be in contact with your attorney, you need to help them develop your case, you need to provide them with information when they need it and you just basically just need to be there to speak with your attorney when you’re available.

Benefit to Hiring An Experienced Criminal Lawyer

The benefit of hiring an experienced Henrico County attorney is having someone that understands the law and legal issues involved. In addition, you are going to want someone that has knowledge of the judges, prosecutors, and police in the county and understands how the county treats certain crimes and prosecutes certain cases.

Having an attorney that has the full understanding of the sentencing standards as well as the possible diversionary options, like drug court and counseling, that may exist in the county can be available in lieu of an active jail sentence.

As a result, an experienced attorney that knows when to fight versus when to try and seek to mitigate on a case is also a valuable asset.