The unfortunate fact is that just about any Morris County resident could one day find him or herself facing charges related to property crimes. These can range from graffiti charges or shoplifting all the way to burglary or armed robbery. If you’re in the wrong place at the wrong time, you could end up in the crosshairs of Morris County law enforcement and in need of legal representation.
Why would you need an attorney in a property crimes case? Whether the charges are misdemeanor or more serious felony charges, there can be far-reaching consequences for a conviction, but the prosecution is not thinking about the effects this will have on your life. They may, quite honestly, not even be thinking about uncovering the truth of whatever allegedly took place. Their job is to convince a judge to convict you. It’s a defense attorney’s job to stand up for your legal right to a presumption of innocence.
When facing charges for property crimes, there are a number of important points that a legal professional can raise in a defendant’s favor. Does the prosecution have eyewitnesses to the crime? If not, that can be an opportunity to cast reasonable doubt on what allegedly took place. An attorney can also track down eyewitnesses to testify on behalf of the defense. And legal professionals also skilled at analyzing police reports for any details that don’t match up with what the prosecution is trying to argue in court.
While some property crime charges may seem like something you can deal with and walk away from, a criminal record is no joke. Even a simple shoplifting conviction will go on a criminal record, along with fines and restitution. Defendants with three convictions like that are looking at a mandatory prison sentence.
It’s important for defendants to know that they have the right to stand up to Morris County prosecutors and have their say in court. Our theft and property crimes page has more information about how a legal professional can help with time-tested strategies to establish reasonable doubt. And in the end, that is all that’s necessary to acquit a defendant charged with property crimes.