Out-of-State Visitors Charged in Norfolk, VA

If you are not from Norfolk and yet you are facing criminal charges in Norfolk, you should find a Norfolk criminal lawyer to help you as soon as possible. You should also make arrangements so that it is possible for you to appear in court on the date you are required to.

Court Proceedings for Out-of-State Visitors in Norfolk

The judges will not be sympathetic to most excuses as to why someone wasn’t present in court and instead will issue a warrant for their arrest due to their failure to appear. Obviously, it is a major inconvenience having you travel back to Norfolk just for a court date. So it is helpful to have an attorney who can help you to have your case continued to a date that is easier for you to present on as well as to explain to you what the local customs and expectations are.

This is even more true to people charged who are from another state as they may not be familiar at all with Virginia’s laws, and they don’t want to make any mistakes that will be more detrimental to them later.

Top 6 Things to Know When Facing Charges in Norfolk

Below, a Norfolk criminal lawyer discusses some of the most important facts an out-of-state visitor should know if they are facing criminal charges in Norfolk.

#1 Norfolk Judges

First, out-of-state drivers should know that Norfolk takes all criminal charges seriously and will prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law. There aren’t any charges that the judges will be lenient on without a solid defense.

#2 Court Proceedings

Second, they should know that Norfolk is a very busy court system. And that sometimes, it can take hours for their case to be heard depending on what time of day it is and what type of case. They should plan accordingly.

#3 Norfolk City Jail

Third, they should know that the Norfolk city jail is extremely old and definitely isn’t somewhere that they should be content to spend any amount of time in. Therefore they should do whatever it takes to ensure they have a strong defense and are prepared with good attorneys by their side.

#4 Hiring an Attorney

Fourth, they should know that they can hire an attorney. This makes the charge much more manageable and easier to understand. An attorney is a wealth of information and can save someone a lot of time and effort.

#5 Post-Arrest

Fifth, they should do their very best to stay out of trouble. The last thing they want is another charge added on top of the original charge.

#6 Community Service

Sixth, they can do things to be proactive in their case such as to demonstrate to the judge that they are a good, productive person worth giving a second chance to. This can be in the form of community service or volunteering or in doing some things to better themselves such as taking an educational course related to their charge or attending group sessions with people in similar situations.