Contacting A Criminal Defense Attorney in Norfolk

Telling an officer that you want to speak with a criminal attorney in Norfolk, VA does not imply guilt. It merely implies that you know what your rights are and that you’re aware that you do not have to answer any questions without an attorney present. Officers know this and they won’t think that somebody is guilty just because they happen to know their rights.

This is similar to the fact that you are under no obligation to consent to a search if there’s no probable cause or search warrant present.

When To Contact an Attorney in a Norfolk Criminal Case

You can contact an attorney even before you are charged with a criminal offense in Norfolk.

When possible, it’s important to speak to counsel before you are charged because that way you know what to expect and you’re better prepared to answer or not answer any questions that the Norfolk law enforcement officials may propose.

If you have already been charged, then it is helpful to contact an attorney as soon as you can so that you and a lawyer can discuss the facts of your case, the options available to you, and the next steps in preparing your defense.

Important Things To Remember When Being Questioned by Police

The most important thing to know for someone whom police are questioning is that the job of the police is to find enough evidence to charge them or convict them of a crime. The police are not on anyone’s side the second they’re suspected of a crime. It’s important to remember this because anything that the person being questioned says is just ammunition for the police to use against them in a court of law.

Frequently Asked Questions During Consultations

Potential clients usually want to know what the consequences are going to be. More specifically, they want to know if they’re going to be spending any time in jail. Usually clients are highly concerned with what’s going to happen to them, so I try to ease them by letting them know that it really depends on the circumstances and we can’t know exactly the whole story until we get the evidence from the prosecutor.

I explain to them that while jail time certainly is a possibility in some situations, it’s not always a sure thing and it’s sometimes negotiable as well. I tell clients that the possible consequences will become clearer as more facts are unveiled.

As we work together towards building a defense, I tell clients to take things one step at a time and ask them to focus on the facts at hand to see what we can do with them before stressing about the long term effect.