When determining defenses and how to plead in theft cases, it could be critical to consider possible circumstances following a Chantilly robbery arrest. A distinguished theft attorney could speak with you about your ultimate goal in the case and how to appropriately handle your robbery arrest. Their attorney could talk them through what the evidence shows and the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence. Therefore, it may be critical to speak with a lawyer after robbery charges have been filed.
Some of the risks to a person’s family when they are arrested for a robbery offense include entering their house and searching for the person. In the process of searching for the person, they are going to look everywhere. If a person’s family hides any kind of contraband, it could lead to a charge. Often with an invalid arrest warrant and the search warrant for a house to look for somebody, the felony arrest warrant, officers go in to arrest this person, find all kinds of contraband in plain sight, like weapons or drugs, and the family members get charged.
Criminal defenses often require the payment of fines and court costs. If a person jointly owns a house with somebody or they had assets that are in their name that are assets for the house, they are subject to consideration. It is possible, that following a Chantilly robbery arrest, people end up bankrupting their families over their defense cases. The families also have to go through the strain and embarrassment of having somebody charged with a serious crime. Neighbors and the employers might find out, putting someone’s job in jeapardy.
It is rare that an individual’s accounts or assets are forfeited or frozen following a Chantilly robbery arrest. It may happen in a white-collar theft where it is tangentially related to the case at hand and they have to freeze the person’s account to make sure that they do not have the money or take money for embezzlement.
Law enforcement may seize someone’s car or the house used by their family in circumstances when the car was used in the commission of robbery. They may seize it under the Virginia Civil Forfeiture Statute. If somebody else in the person’s family had a claim to the car, they may put up a fight for it. Forfeiture is a different and separate issue that is decided, but they are not going to confiscate the person’s house.
The different plea options that people have are guilty or not guilty. A person may enter a no-contest plea. A person could potentially enter an (outward) plea although courts do not allow that. Depending on the jurisdiction, someone may not pleas bargain without a lawyer. In Arlington and Fairfax, for example, the prosecutors do not talk to the defendant or make deals if they do not have an attorney.
It is important to have the counsel of an attorney when deciding how to take a plea after the arraignment has been completed. It is hard to undo guilty pleas. However, not guilty pleas give someone time to check the merits of their case, talk to attorneys about strategy, and to do everything possible before they admit guilt.