Fredericksburg Theft Lawyer

If charged with theft, you should contact a Fredericksburg theft lawyer as soon as you know you have been charged or are under investigation. There are proactive steps an attorney can take early in the process, which can affect the outcome of your case. It is very difficult when you are faced with theft charges to live with uncertainty. A skilled Fredericksburg defense attorney can help to remove a lot of that uncertainty.

What is Considered Theft

Theft, also known as larceny, is the carrying and taking away of property that belongs to someone else with the intention to permanently deprive another. There are a number of different kinds of larceny, which typically include some combination of taking property belonging to someone else, or in some cases simply concealing property that belongs to a storekeeper and removing it from the premises or taking it somewhere else with the intention to permanently deprive them of that property.

There are a number of different kinds of theft. The most basic is a simple larceny. There are other specialized kinds such as concealment or shoplifting, which is a charge that involves theft from a merchant or shopkeeper. A person can also be charged with embezzlement, which includes theft from either an employer or someone else that you stand in a position of trust and whom you have stolen from.

Consequences

A misdemeanor theft charge is considered to be a Class One misdemeanor in Virginia, which means there is the potential for up to a year in jail and a $2,500 fine. Most people who do not have previous convictions would not be looking at anything close to that much, and with the help of an experienced theft attorney in Fredericksburg, a client’s rights will be further protected.

There can still be very serious penalties that include active jail time and fines, as well as the consequences that can happen to a person outside of a court setting, such as loss of employment, as well as difficulty finding a job in the future.

Support in a Theft Case

There are a lot of things a lawyer can do when someone is facing charges to provide support. A skilled Fredericksburg theft lawyer can explain in detail the process so the person will know what to expect at each hearing.

In addition, there are going to be several different points in the process of the case where important decisions are going to be made by the accused. The attorney can assist by helping the person think through those decisions, talk to them about their options, and support them in making the best decisions for themselves under their particular set of circumstances.

Contacting a Fredericksburg Theft Attorney

If you know the government is looking at you for a charge, if the police are asking you questions, if you have been arrested, as soon as you know about any of these things is the time to contact counsel. If you call a criminal lawyer’s office to discuss your current theft charges, you are going to be asked about all facets of the charge you have received. This is going to include what paperwork someone has, what charge precisely has been made, the facts and circumstances as you understand them, and what you understand the police to know.

If you have been charged with theft in Fredericksburg, you would benefit from hiring a seasoned Fredericksburg theft attorney as there are a number of things to help to dramatically improve the situation. In some cases, this may include having the charge dismissed. In other cases, it is going to include a reduction in the charge or maybe even probation. There are steps to take early on in the process and tactics we can begin employing from the beginning that will have an impact on the case.