Restitution in Virginia Beach Robbery Cases
As defined by Virginia Beach law, restitution in Virginia Beach robbery cases is the money owed to the accuser of the robbery so that they can be made whole as a result of the case. In a robbery case, the client is out of money and they have suffered harm. If an individual is found guilty of robbery, they can be ordered to pay restitution to make up for what the accuser lost.
If there are injuries, an individual may have to pay restitution for medical costs or property damage. The court can order the individual to pay restitution when it can be proven that the accuser suffered a loss because of the crime. The reasoning for ordering a restitution is an effort by the judge to make the alleged victim whole. For any questions regarding the possibility of future legal payments, contact a distinguished robbery attorney who can help you plan your defense.
Virginia Restitution Process
Restitution in Virginia Beach robbery cases is ordered by the court after either a plea of guilty or a finding of guilty occurs. The judge will assign the amount of restitution during the sentencing. Depending on the court, an individual will either going to pay that money through the court system or if an individual is on probation, they may pay through probation.
In rare circumstances, an individual will pay the accuser directly. They are not usually going to do that in a robbery case because the individual will often be told to have no contact with the accuser. Often an individual is put on a payment plan where they are supposed to pay a certain amount a month.
Once the restitution is paid off and the terms satisfied, then an individual no longer has to worry about restitution. Anytime the judge orders restitution it is mandatory. A judge is not very forgiving when an individual says that they cannot afford and can put them in jail for not paying restitution.
Restitution and Virginia Beach robberies might be invoked in certain cases and not necessarily others depending on the accuser. The accuser may or may not want restitution. If the items taken are recovered, it may be that there is no restitution needed.
Benefits of Restorative Forms of Justice
It is important to restore the accuser’s worth as well as punished the person who if found guilty of committing the crime with restitution in Virginia Beach robbery cases. If it simply came down to punishing the guilty party but the alleged victim is still out of a significant amount of money, they may not feel that any benefit came to them from taking this case to court.
The goal is to put the accuser back to the position they were before they were harmed. It encourages them to follow the law and not take things into their own hands so that they do not need to go that route to get what they want back.
Larger Entities
Paying restitution in a robbery case is almost always a condition of completing probation. Larger companies are likely going to pay more quickly whereas an individual may need a longer period of restitution.
Whenever an individual is injured, insurance may pay for their medical bills. Perhaps their vehicle is totaled and their car insurance takes care of that, then an individual may owe restitution. Instead of owing it to the person, an individual may have to reimburse the insurance company. If an individual damaged a business’ property, they are going to owe restitution.
Inability to Pay Restitution
If they are unable to pay restitution in Virginia Beach robbery cases because they are incarcerated, the period of restitution would not start until after they have been released. Generally, though, if an individual does not pay restitution, if they do not make those payments, they run the risk of jail time. Ultimately, the court wants the accuser to be made whole and is not necessarily concerned where the money comes from. Family members of the defendant can pay restitution.