Loudoun County Attorneys > Winchester Criminal Defense Attorney

Winchester Criminal Defense Attorney

Whether you have been charged with alleged petit theft, armed robbery, a DUI, or domestic violence, you have a lot at stake. Your future is in the balance of two parties: the prosecution and your legal criminal defense team. The state or federal prosecution always has incredible resources, expertise, and power at their disposal to maximize the penalties that you face and ensure that you are convicted, which is why hiring an experienced criminal defense attorney is your best option for matching and beating the prosecution. Do not put your trust and future in the hands of an attorney without the ability to give you a chance to prove your innocence and decrease the fines and penalties that you face. We serve those who have been charged with the following offenses, contact our experienced Winchester criminal defense attorneys today.

Criminal Records Keep Americans in Low-Paying Positions

According to the Justice Department, roughly 30 percent of working-age adults have a criminal record, as reported by the Nation. Furthermore, a study performed by the Pew Charitable Trusts in 2010 found that having a record of incarceration decreases a person’s hourly wages by 11 percent and their annual earnings by 40 percent. This adds up to hundreds of thousands of dollars over a worker’s career, or lack thereof. Those with criminal records are often hired for low-pay, grueling part-time work and their positions are terminated quickly. Individuals with criminal records go from job to job and are denied positions that they were once qualified to hold, instead being relegated to some of the most demeaning types of work. And the longer the prison sentence or the higher the punishment, the worse they are in the job market after returning to the outside world.

What Should I Do After Being Arrested?

You have the right to know exactly what charges are being brought against you. In addition to that, you have the right to a hearing, an unbiased judge, and legal counsel–either a public defender or private lawyer. One of the first steps you need to take in order to preserve your freedom and future after an arrest is to contact an experienced attorney immediately. We handle each case with extreme attention to detail and personal care. Along the way we take the time to explain exactly what you face in terms of charges and outcomes of possible scenarios. We will build a strong case with support from expert witnesses, detailed evidence, and outside investigators to ensure that your chances of success are the highest possible. We understand the subtleties of all types of criminal charges, as well as the arguments and rationale used by the prosecution. Through our hundreds of successful cases, we have a vast amount of experience and knowledge at our disposal. Court-appointed attorneys, self-representation, or inexperienced private attorneys may be less expensive, but just as with everything in life, you get what you pay for. Of defendants found guilty, those with public defenders faced a higher incarceration rate than those with private attorneys, according to analysis performed by the U.S. Department of Justice.

What to Do After an Arrest – Being a suspect in a Winchester criminal case

Disclosing information, even if you are innocent, without the presence of an attorney is never a good idea when being questioned by the police. Before you are booked, answering questions may still land you in hot water. It is best to request an attorney before answering further questions. In the event that you are arrested, after you have been fingerprinted and photographed the police may wish to question you. However, it is the law that they inform you of your Miranda rights, and that you may remain silent if you so chose. Take advantage of this right by requesting an attorney and remaining silent, even if you had no part in the alleged crime. Discuss the situation with your attorney when you have the chance, and you will be able to come up with a short term plan that goes through your release until the arraignment hearing.

The Process of Posting Bail

After you have successfully refused police interrogation and waited to speak with your attorney before answering any questions, the next step is getting out of jail. To do so, you must post bail. The amount of your bail is set, or denied, on a variety of factors, including the following:

The severity of the crime you are being charged with;
Your criminal history, if any;
If releasing you will pose a considerable risk to you or the public; and
The risk of your fleeing the state or country before your appointed court appearance;

Bail may be denied, as per Virginia statutes 19.2-120 if there is probable cause that you will not show up at your trial or hearing, or that your liberty will be an unreasonable danger to yourself or the public. A long criminal history, a high severity of the crime for which you were arrested, and a history of disobeying court summons in the past all increase the amount of bail. However, as your attorneys we will work to lower the bail amount and ensure that you do not stay locked up until your appointed court date. In the case that you have reason to believe that your bail was set at an unreasonable level, you may request a bond hearing. We will assist you in this hearing to explain to the judge why you deserve to have your bail lowered. Such factors that are taken into account by the court include:

Flight risk status;
The value you bring to your community; and
Your financial status;

Release on Own Recognizance

It may also be possible to be released from jail without posting bail. If you can be released on your own recognizance, you will have to sign paperwork agreeing that you will appear in court on the specified date. According to Virginia Courts, a recognizance is “the defendant’s written promise to appear and to abide by any terms ordered by the judicial officer as a condition of release. A release on a recognizance is not based on a monetary pledge or secured by cash deposit, real estate, or property bail bondsman.” It is based on whether the defendant has community ties, a job, a lack of criminal history, and the presence of an experienced attorney always help your case for recognizance.

Do you have questions about your criminal case? Or are you searching for an experienced attorney in your area? Contact the experienced Winchester attorneys of Simms Showers, LLP today for assistance.

Contact Our Winchester Criminal Defense Attorneys Today

Contact the aggressive, dependable Winchester criminal defense attorneys of Simms Showers LLP today for immediate legal assistance. We will help you today.

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