What to Expect After a Virginia Arrest
- Posted on: Sep 26 2023
Getting arrested is undoubtedly a scary experience, particularly for first-time arrestees. In addition to anxiety regarding the outcome of one’s case, uncertainty regarding the arrest process, i.e., fear of the unknown, greatly contributes to the emotions experienced following a Virginia arrest. Therefore, it’s imperative to immediately seek the assistance of an experienced Virginia criminal defense lawyer following an arrest. In this article, we discuss what to expect after a Virginia arrest.
Booking
Following an arrest in Virginia, you will be taken to the local police station and booked. The booking process entails gathering your personal information, taking your fingerprints, and confiscating your personal property for holding until you are released from the facility.
Bond Hearing
Next, you will attend a bond hearing. At this hearing, the court will determine whether you must pay a bond to be released from custody. A bond is a payment that is intended to ensure that you’ll return for your court date. Paying your bond is also known as paying bail. During your bond hearing, the court will also ask whether you’d like the state to provide you with an attorney or if you want to hire one yourself.
Hiring an Attorney
If you decide to hire your own criminal defense attorney, the court will give you a deadline to demonstrate that you hired a lawyer. Upon being hired, your criminal defense lawyer will file a notice of appearance with the court. If you are unable to obtain legal representation before the deadline, however, you will be required to provide evidence to the court that you attempted to do so but were unsuccessful.
Arraignment
After making your attorney decision, you will attend your arraignment, where you make a plea to the court. At your arraignment, the court will inform you of your charges, to which you have the choice to plead not guilty, guilty, or no contest. Although it is ultimately your decision how to plead, your attorney will discuss each option with you to ensure that you are fully informed of the consequences of each. What happens next is dependent on your plea and the crime charged. Most misdemeanor cases in Virginia are heard in the General District Court by a judge unless a jury trial is requested. Felony cases, on the other hand, are tried in Circuit Court.
Contact a Virginia Criminal Defense Lawyer
If you’ve been arrested in Virginia, you need a knowledgeable criminal defense attorney on your side. At Walker Jones, PC, we defend clients against criminal charges of all kinds in Virginia. When you come to us for help with your Virginia criminal case, we will aggressively defend you and do everything we can to obtain a successful result in your criminal matter. Please contact us as soon as possible to schedule an initial consultation with one of our talented criminal defense attorneys.
Posted in: Criminal Defense
