Theft charges can be tricky to prosecute because a person must meet all of the required conditions beyond a reasonable doubt in order to be convicted. This is why retaining the services of an experienced attorney is crucial to the success of your case if you have been charged with theft. A theft attorney in Georgia will know how to build a proper defense that will be the most effective for your theft charge and will be able to advocate for them while in court while giving you an opportunity for the best possible outcome in your case.
First StepsA theft attorney will interview the client, perhaps also interview the alleged victim, and determine what the theft entailed. An attorney can determine if the person who had the theft done to them may not want to even prosecute. Attorneys can then try and work out the case. There have been cases short of prosecution where the money was paid back over time, because if the person who stole the item or the quantity of cash goes to jail, it does not necessarily bode well for the person who had the property taken from them, but if they work out a deal they are going to get the money back.
Gathering EvidenceA criminal lawyer will need to obtain videos if there are any, such as if there was a theft in a store. They will need interviews with potential witnesses who saw the theft and also gain an understanding of why or what motivated the person to get themselves in this position to begin with and what potential defenses could exist.
ExpertsThe need for an expert to be called into a case will depend on the particular crime. Some theft crimes might need a forensic accountant to navigate. Generally, theft is not necessarily a crime where a person needs an expert, but an attorney will have them available in building a defense in Georgia if needed.
Alternative SentencingThere are some theft cases that might resolve in a pre-trial diversion or dismissal where a defendant has never had problems before and makes restitution. There may be an opportunity to get all charges dismissed, provided the person can keep their record clean and not get in trouble for a period of time.
Working with an AttorneyWhen building a theft defense in Georgia, an experienced attorney would be the go-between between the person charged and the state, and anything that the person charged with a crime says, can and will be used against them. An attorney can speak on behalf of that person and make admissions and statements that are not necessarily used against the client.
A person charged with theft should contact a criminal lawyer as soon as they believe that they are going to be charge with a crime, or as soon as that they have been charged with a crime, as there may be an opportunity to avoid any sort of prosecution early on. A lawyer will try their best to keep them out of jail, reduce jail time, prevent a lot of penalties, and soften the penalties that could be brought. A person charged with theft should hire a lawyer to mitigate any sentence imposed.