Loudoun County criminal lawyer
If you are arrested for an offense in Loudoun County, you can expect that you will be put in handcuffs. You should expect that you’ll be placed in the back of a police car in major offenses, sometimes in the front for security reasons.
You should expect that you’ll be initially taken either to the sheriff’s office for a booking or to the local Loudoun County Adult Detention Center near Sycolin Road. As a booking procedure you’ll be asked your name, background information, and employment information. Your picture will be taken and depending on the nature of the offense, you’ll be fingerprinted. After the booking process occurs, you will be taken before the magistrate either in person or on a video and the magistrate will make an initial bond determination.
When you are arrested with an offense, your liberty is lost and you are taken to the police station. When the officer reads the charges to the magistrate, the magistrate issues warrants, and then you’re charged with the offense.
After you’re arrested you are typically given a phone call at the police station or at the jail. This is exactly like everyone has seen on TV and the movies with some few exceptions.
Generally, it is in your best interest to contact a friend and tell them where you are and inform them that you are alright. Also, it is a good idea at that point to have a friend or family members start the process of looking for attorneys if you don’t already have one in mind.
After you are in front of the magistrate and a bond is set or if no bond is set, then you should take the next step in contacting your attorney.
The most important thing to know is if you’re being questioned by police is that you’re not obliged to speak with them. The body of case law known as “Miranda rights” referring to the case of Miranda v. Arizona, states that you have rights and those include the right to remain silent when being charged or similarly detained.
The officers will often ask their suspect or a person recently charged with an offense to waive their Miranda rights and speak with the officers. They can do that if they so choose, but I would advise against that and most other attorneys in my line of work would as well. So the important thing to know when speaking with law enforcement is it falls in your court and you control things. The situation is going to be set up psychologically so you feel you are not in control; however, you always have the ability to invoke your right to remain silent and invoke your right to counsel and you should not hesitate to do so if you are not comfortable.
The top three things that you can do after you have been charged with a criminal offense in Loudoun County is:
1) Contact an experienced criminal defense attorney as soon as possible.
2) Take the time to sit down after you’ve been charged, and write down every detail of the case. Do not show it to anyone and only make copies for your attorney. It is very important that while the details are fresh in your mind that you recall the names, dates, places, people, and contact information. All of that is very important.
3) Don’t worry too much about what is in the past. Contact a criminal defense attorney and discuss what your options could be for the future.
Northern Virginia Criminal Defense Group
