Criminal Defense Lawyers in Centreville, Virginia

Centreville, Virginia, like many other towns across America, is facing an increase in criminal activity. While many in our society may choose to shun those who commit crimes, we believe that everyone deserves a second chance.

It’s easy to panic and say the wrong thing when you get pulled over on rt. 28, or when you’re caught at the scene of a crime in London Towne, or when you’re presented with a warrant for your arrest at your Centreville home. At this point, it’s more important than ever to stay calm. While criminal charges might seem like the end of the world as you know it, you have options and we’re here to help you sort through them.

While this time will be stressful and full of uncertainties, you don’t have to go through it alone. Our team will meet with you at Fairfax County Detention Center, the Juvenile Detention Center, or wherever you are being held, to protect your rights.

The sooner you contact the team at Olmstead & Olmstead, the sooner we can begin fighting your Centreville, VA criminal charges. Schedule a consultation right now by calling us at 703-361-1555.

Types of Criminal Offenses

At Olmstead & Olmstead, we handle a wide range of criminal cases. We believe that everyone has the right to a strong defense team and to be considered innocent until proven guilty. The long list of criminal cases we have taken on include:

• Restraining orders
• Robbery and larceny
• Drug-related crimes
• Traffic and driving offenses
• DUI and DWI
• Sexual offenses
• Murder and homicide

You may not know yet the full extent of the charges against you or what they mean. A lot depends on whether or not the crime is a misdemeanor or felony and whether you are facing related charges. If you are facing multiple criminal charges, your punishments could stack and leave you with substantial fines and a lengthy prison sentence.

How Criminal Convictions Can Affect Your Life

People accused of a crime have a tendency to underestimate how it will affect them in the future. They may think of the immediate implications, such as paying restitution, paying court-ordered fines, and spending time in prison or jail. On their own, those penalties can have a significant negative impact on your life.

Convicted individuals are often left financially drained after paying off court fees. A prison sentence can violently yank you from the world you know, throw you into a frightening prison environment, and then expect you to return to normal once you go back to the outside world.

But the consequences of a criminal conviction extend beyond the immediate penalties. To start, plan on pausing or completely ending your career. Spending time in prison will likely leave you without employment and make it hard to get back into the workforce.

Even though Virginia law prevents employers from asking about your criminal history on an initial application, they can still ask about it after calling you for an interview. A misdemeanor or felony on your record may dissuade employers from considering you. In some fields, a criminal history completely disqualifies you.

A criminal history can also keep you out of other parts of society. If you want to coach your kids’ soccer team, volunteer at their school, or help out at the local animal shelter, plan on agreeing to a criminal background check. Once your conviction comes up, you may or may not be allowed to volunteer.

If you ever face family law issues in the future, your criminal history could hurt you. In a custody battle, an angry coparent may use anything they can against you. If you’re seeking custody, your previous conviction—no matter how long ago it was—could haunt you.

Certain types of crime can have more specific consequences. The Sex Offender and Crimes Against Minors Registry can leave you exposed to public humiliation and even put you at risk of being targeted. You may be forbidden from living in certain areas once listed on the registry.

How We May Approach Your Case

Our goal is to find the best path to a positive outcome for you. This looks different for every case, depending on the charges against you, how much evidence the other side has, whether or not their evidence was obtained legally, and your criminal history. Outcomes we may pursue include:

• Dismissal of charges. Perhaps the police officer in your case was overzealous in their collection of evidence and they violated your civil rights. Maybe the charges against you are so overblown that there’s no way they can stick in court. In some situations, we will fight to have charges dropped entirely.
• Reduction in charges. In situations where your crime could be charged in a couple different ways, we may negotiate with the prosecutor to push for the less severe charges. This can make a significant difference in the penalties you face and how your future will be affected.
• Alternative sentencing options. If you could avoid more serious consequences by going through a rehabilitation program or serving probation, this may be an excellent option to protect your freedom and future.
• Trying your case in court. In some cases, the best option is truly to defend you in court. Our team is aggressive and will fight to weaken the prosecution’s case at every turn.

Possible Defenses to Criminal Charges

There are several potential defense avenues we will explore while handling your case. Some of these include:

• Consent if a crime hinges on whether or not another party consents to it, such as many sex-related crimes
• Entrapment
• Crime committed under duress or coercion
• Lack of intent
• Self-defense
• Necessity, when one crime is committed to prevent a more serious crime
• Evidence obtained illegally
• Illegal arrest or traffic stop

Why You Should Choose the Team at Olmstead & Olmstead

When you choose Olmstead & Olmstead, you can feel confident that your case will be handled proactively and aggressively. Our extensive experience with federal and state crime cases ensures that we’ll approach your charges from multiple angles. We’ll use everything at our disposal to understand the prosecution’s case, poke holes in it, and find ways to defend you. We will keep you informed every step of the way so that you know all possible outcomes, how they will affect your future, and what our next steps are.

Choose Olmstead & Olmstead for Your Criminal Defense Case

Our team is ready to take your case head-on, aggressively pursue a fair outcome for you, and protect your civil rights in the process. Set up a time to talk with us right away—just call us at 703-361-1555 or fill out our online contact form to get started.