Prince William County Criminal Processing

If you or someone you know has been charged with a crime, you could help yourself of them by retaining an attorney. While you or someone you know go through Prince William County criminal processing, an attorney could work his or her end of the criminal field to work toward a favorable outcome.

Attorneys familiar with courts could work with the Virginia prosecution, develop a defense strategy, and even rebuke charges if you desire.

Detention Centers in Prince William County

The detention center in Prince William County is located in Manassas next to the courthouse. The address for the detention center is #9320 Lee Avenue, Manassas, Virginia and is adjacent to the judicial center. The Prince William County Adult Detention Center is a regional detention center for Prince William County and for Manassas.

The Booking Process at a Glance

Criminal processing in Prince William County involves several different steps. Typically, when an individual is arrested on new charges, they would be brought to one of the police sub-stations where they would be formally “booked”. In most of the sub-stations, alleged offenders would meet with a magistrate who would review their bond situation. It is possible to see a magistrate and be released on bond or on recognizance without ever going to the detention center in Prince William County.

For most individuals that are arrested and go before a magistrate, they would be taken to the Prince William County Detention Center. Anyone awaiting a court date or has to be incarcerated while awaiting court would be transported to the detention center. Once they arrive at the detention center, they would be taken out of the custody of the sheriff and given to the custody of the detention center.

The Prince William County Adult Detention Center is run by a private security corporation. Virginia law allows for a private company to run the security of a detention center, so it is not a private jail and nobody receives any profit from the number of people incarcerated in the detention center.

When someone is arrested and taken to the detention center, they are put into the custody of the detention center. They would run their fingerprints and have photographs taken. They may be in booking for some time awaiting a court appearance if they are immediately transported to court for an arraignment or they may be assigned a residential pod or a dorm in the detention center where they would await their trial.

What to Expect When Taken to Jail

The most important thing a person could expect when they get taken to jail in Prince William County and after criminal processing is that they would have a court date, too. The reason for the detention center and for being taken to the detention center is to await the court hearing. When someone is arrested and a magistrate denies bond, alleged offenders would be held overnight in the detention center, even over the weekend, until the next business day when they would go in front of a judge in one of the courts in Prince William County for an arraignment.

While it is possible for a judge to set bond during an arraignment, in a number of cases it is unlikely. It is more likely when someone appears for an arraignment that the judge would set their court date and hold them without bond until their attorney is able to file a bond motion and present the reasons why a bond should be granted to the court.

Someone taken to jail in Prince William County could expect to be taken in front of the judge within the next business day to have their initial appearance and date set. Then, they would have the opportunity to file a bond motion.

How Bond Works

Bond works under the premise that when someone is released on bond, they are released on a promise to reappear in court. Rather than having to stay in the detention center or sit in the jail until their court date, the court would release them on bond under certain conditions. The normal condition that most people think of when they think of bond is having bail imposed and having to pay a particular amount for a cash or corporate surety bond. In such a case, someone would have a bond set. For example, if the court sets bond at $5,000 or $10,000 as a cash or corporate surety bond, the prisoner has the option to either pay $5,000 or $10,000 to be released or to hire a bondsman. They pay a bondsman a percentage of that fee and the bondsman acts as their corporate surety, says that they would help them to keep their court date straight, and makes sure they come to court. If that person missed court, the bondsman would have to pay that money back to the court rather than the individual.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both routes. It is a disadvantage to have a bondsman in that they pay money to a bondsman and never see that money again. Typically, a bondsman only charges about 10 percent of the total amount owed. The advantage of having a bondsman is that a person only has to pay a percentage of the total fee, usually 10 percent. In a case in which someone is given a $5,000 cash or corporate surety bond, they typically have the option of either paying $5,000 to the court and receive that money back once their case is completed or paying generally 10 percent or $500 to a bondsman and the bondsman would take the risk of the other $4,500. However, that person would not be able to receive any of that payment back when their case is completed.

Seek Legal Representation Today

Criminal processing in Prince William County is something that few people go through. However, if you or someone you know was recently charged with a criminal offense, it is something that you inevitably go through. However, that does not mean you or someone you know could not use the assistance of an experienced criminal defense attorney. Attorneys could help during your bond hearing, during the defense building phase of your case, and with mitigating steps that you could take. Call today for a confidential consultation.