Hampton Roads Felony Theft Lawyer
Felony theft or felony larceny in Virginia is when a person takes an item that belongs to another person and that item is worth at least $500. Felony theft can come with serious consequences that can disrupt a person’s life socially and economically. A Hampton Roads felony theft lawyer is here to help a person to mitigate charges, reduce them, or drop them altogether. Contact a professional attorney to see what you can do about your situation.
Felony Theft vs. Misdemeanor
In Virginia, anything $500 or more is considered a felony. The manner of how the person commits the theft in most circumstances does not matter. What matters is the amount that was taken. Felony theft is punishable by up to one to 20 years in jail. Misdemeanor theft or misdemeanor larceny is punishable by up to 12 months in jail.
Aggravation of Misdemeanor Theft to Felony
There are two main ways that a misdemeanor can be aggravated to a felony. The first is if the amount of the item in question was $500 or more. Then, it becomes a felony. The other possibility is if a person had two prior larcenies and the person commits a third larceny. That is a felony automatically no matter how much the person allegedly stole was worth. Talk to a Hampton Roads felony theft lawyer if there are more questions.
Building a Defense
The first thing lawyers do is talk to the individual and try to get an idea as to what they are looking at. Then, they try to gather the evidence to see what the Commonwealth can prove and what they are saying happened. Lawyers look to see what is different between the evidence of the individual and the Commonwealth, where the dispute is, and whether the Commonwealth prove what they are alleging. If they cannot, lawyers see what they can do with that.
Benefits of Working with a Felony Theft Lawyer in Hampton Roads
Often if the arrest is on suspicion and the suspect has not been charged, the police will want to talk to the accused to try to gain information about them and a reason to make a charge. When an individual has an attorney, they may be able to negotiate an agreement in return for information.
An experienced lawyer can identify what is important in a person’s case. They can talk to the person about identifying what they need to do to get the best outcome. A younger lawyer does not have a lot of experience with these types of cases and may not know the best way to go about it. A person wants a lawyer to help them try to reach the best possible outcome. Otherwise, the person could end up either with a felony conviction on their record or serving a lengthy jail sentence. An individual will want to try someone who is competent, confident, and realistic about the situation. Call a Hampton Roads felony theft lawyer today.