Prince William Criminal Defense Attorney

Getting arrested turns everything in your life upside down. And in Prince William County, Virginia, it's not an uncommon occurrence. In a county of around 470,000 people, police made 8,572 arrests in 2020. Even if many of the same people were arrested more than once, that's still nearly 2 percent of our population that has faced criminal charges and all the difficulties that come with them in a single year.

If you're among the thousands arrested in Prince William County every year, you need to know two things: You're far from alone, and you're in a serious situation. Fortunately, this is exactly the type of serious situation that a Prince William criminal defense attorney at S&R Law, NOVA Defenders, can handle.

Below, we cover how we can help you and what comes next in the criminal process. Keep reading to get informed, or reach out to us today to start building your defense.

When you are charged with a crime, it can feel like your life is over. The police seem to think they have a case against you, so you're going to jail, right? Not exactly.

Remember these four words: Charged doesn't mean convicted. A charge is just an accusation. You don't go to jail or prison for your charge - you go if you get convicted. And you can fight to keep a conviction from happening.

To fight effectively, you need to understand not only the nature of the charge you face, but what you should do next. We discuss both of these matters below.

The type of criminal charge you have received will tell the Prince William criminal defense lawyers you call the severity of your potential penalties and the types of defense strategies that might work best for you.

There are dozens of criminal charges of varying degrees of severity under Virginia law, but the charges outlined below are the most common kinds that the Prince William County criminal attorneys at our firm can help you with:

• Drug crimes. You can be charged with a wide variety of drug-related crimes in Virginia, such as drug possession, drug manufacturing, and drug distribution. Each individual charge requires a tailored and unique defense to help you keep a clean record and your freedom.
• Traffic offenses. Even seemingly minor traffic tickets can add up to getting your driver's license taken away, and this is far from the most serious traffic-related offense you can be accused of. Reckless driving and driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI), for example, can land you behind bars in some cases.
• Theft. Even if you're accused of stealing a relatively minor item, you can still face a serious criminal charge. A Prince William defense lawyer can help with shoplifting, petit larceny, and grand larceny charges.
• Violent crimes. Violent crimes like assault and homicide are often charged as felonies, and that means you could face years and years in prison if you're convicted.
• White collar crimes. Don't make the mistake of believing that white collar crimes come with less severe punishments. Fraud, embezzlement, extortion, and other white collar offenses can leave you facing serious potential penalties.

No matter what kind of charge you're facing, you need to understand that a conviction can have serious, lifelong impacts on your life. These range from years in prison and thousands of dollars in fines to damage to your reputation and trouble finding a job.

You also need to know that there are ways to avoid all of these problems, but your ability to do so depends on what you do next. One of the first and most important things to do when you've been charged with a crime is contacting a Prince William County criminal defense attorney, but there's even more you can do:

• Gather and preserve evidence that may show that you are innocent or otherwise help you in court.
• Keep your mouth shut. We don't mean to sound rude, but talking about what you did or didn't do can get you into a lot of trouble. Police and prosecutors are just waiting for you to say the wrong thing, and they are really good at tricking you into doing so.
• Don't make contact with anyone you're accused of harming. This might include an ex or someone who says you stole from them. Making contact can get you into trouble both immediately and if your case goes to trial.

If you're worried about making a mistake, don't stress - just reach out to a criminal defense lawyer as soon as possible. An experienced lawyer can help you make all the right moves to give yourself the best possible chance of beating this charge.

You know you need to do something when you've been charged with a crime, but do you really need to hire a Prince William criminal defense lawyer? There are a few key reasons why the answer may be yes:

• Your lawyer can help you gather evidence and build a strong legal defense against your charge.
• Your lawyer can communicate with the prosecution on your behalf to prevent any slip-ups.
• Your lawyer can negotiate with the prosecution to try to secure a plea bargain or even get your charge dropped.
• Your lawyer can reduce your stress by keeping you informed and being a constant ally in a dark time.

There are plenty of Prince William criminal defense lawyers, but you deserve - and need - the best. At S&R Law, NOVA Defenders, we work tirelessly to provide true excellence in legal representation. That includes fighting hard for you both in and out of court, keeping you informed, and never letting the system push you around.

Don't underestimate the seriousness of the situation you're in. And don't underestimate the power of having the right attorney by your side, fighting for you throughout this process. We're here to help you put this difficult chapter of your life behind you, and we have the experience and knowledge to make that a real possibility.

Ready to get started? Give us a call at 703.273.6431 or reach out to our team online today.