If you are charged with a criminal offense in Leesburg the following are the biggest mistakes you should avoid according to a Leesburg criminal defense attorney. For assistance avoiding these mistakes or any other mistakes that could hurt your case, call and schedule a consultation today.
The first mistake to avoid when charged with a crime in Leesburg is to speak at length with the law enforcement officer at the time of your offense. While it may seem intuitive to want to tell the law enforcement officer your side of the story, information gathered by law enforcement at the time of the offense or at the time of the arrest is typically used in order to prove the charges against you.
You certainly have the right to remain silent, which may be helpful in the situation and many attorneys encourage anyone who has been charged with a criminal offense or under investigation for a criminal offense to speak to law enforcement only after they have spoken to an attorney.
The second common mistake to avoid is trying to simply walk into the courtroom on your own to negotiate the case or to try to receive a reduction after a plea. An attorney who practices regularly in criminal courts can tell you that such reductions may happen in certain circumstances but these circumstances are few and far between. To walk in and plead the case before the judge without exploring the legal facts of your case and plea is the biggest mistake you can make
The third mistake is to wait until the last minute to contact an experienced Leesburg criminal defense attorney. Criminal defense attorneys need time and resources to be able to plan a defense of your case. Every case is different and even though an experienced Leesburg criminal defense attorney has handled similar cases in the past, they have never handled the exact same case for which you are charged.
Therefore, an in-depth factual and legal analysis must be prepared and examined in order to come up with the best defense for your case.
The best way to avoid making these mistakes is to contact an experienced Leesburg criminal defense attorney as soon as possible after being charged with a criminal offense or after realizing you are under investigation for a criminal offense.
An experienced attorney can help answer any questions you may have, guide you through the process, represent you if necessary, and come up with ways of defense and ways to mitigate your charge.
Northern Virginia Criminal Defense Group
