Criminal Defense

Criminal defense lawyers help their clients avoid the worst penalties or prove their innocence. Sometimes, an attorney's primary role is to negotiate a reasonable plea bargain that limits the sentence the courts impose or the charges that appear on the defendant's...

Most people who are charged with a crime have either already committed it or are wrongly suspected by the police of already committing it. The charges result from something that has already been done (or is still ongoing), even if it was not them that did it. Things...

Whether or not you have to open your cellphone for the police in Virginia depends on the circumstances of the moment, and whether the police have a legal right to access your device. Under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, individuals are protected from...

Several people would take a lie detector test if asked by the police. They have nothing to hide and want to show their cooperation. But many innocent people have taken lie detector tests and still ended up behind bars. The problem with polygraphs Law enforcement has...

Under Virginia state statutes, it is generally illegal for people to hurt others or intentionally put them in a state of fear for their physical safety. Situations ranging from disputes between spouses to arguments at parties may lead to an individual facing assault...

Most people facing criminal charges plead guilty. Even when they know they didn't break the law, they assume that the state can prove its case if a prosecutor brings charges against them. The rise in popularity of police and courtroom television shows gave many people...

A knock at the front door may indicate that a neighbor needs to borrow some sugar or that someone needs to sign for a package. Sometimes, people answer their front door and discover a police officer waiting outside for them. That officer may claim to have some...

If you have never been stopped by the police while driving before, the first time can come as a shock. Prior knowledge about what to expect can improve your chances of handling the situation well.  One thing the police might ask you to do is to perform some field...

Individuals arrested or arraigned for criminal offenses often feel a sense of panic. They recognize that state prosecutors usually do not bring charges unless they believe they have the evidence necessary to secure a criminal conviction. In other words, the prosecutor...

It used to be that retail theft typically involved “shoplifting,” – someone walking out of a store with a piece of jewelry, some make-up or a carton of cigarettes in their backpack. It could involve someone switching tags to pass an item off as on sale or hiding a...