Anne Arundel County Robbery Lawyer
While theft is defined as the taking of something from another party, corporation, or an entity without permission and with the intent to deprive the rightful owner, robbery is a specific type of theft that involves a threat of some kind of actual force. For example, using a weapon to take something from someone against their will would be considered robbery. Due to this force, robbery charges are treated extremely seriously and can lead to serious consequences including jail time. For this reason, anyone who is charged, or even accused with robbery, should consult with an
Anne Arundel robbery lawyer immediately to begin building their defense. To discuss your case and what benefit a theft lawyer in Anne Arundel County may be able to provide you, call and schedule a consultation today.
Elements of Robbery
The elements of the crime of robbery require that something was taken from another individual or a theft was committed while using some kind of force. Sometimes that force could be a weapon, which would be armed robbery or robbery with a dangerous weapon. In order to convict someone of robbery, prosecutors have to prove that a person has committed a theft or attempted to commit a theft with force or the threat of force in the commission of the robbery.
This offense is considered a felony and therefore carries with it the possibility of hefty jail time and lengthy periods of probation making it imperative any accused consults with a robbery lawyer in Anne Arundel as soon as possible.
Penalties
Robbery is a crime that carries decades of possible jail time, potential probation, and hefty fines that could be ordered by the court.
Also, because robbery is a felony offense those convicted will be disqualified from many things including voting, possessing certain kinds of weapons, and potentially living in certain areas or neighborhoods within a certain distance of a school. These consequences make it important that a strong defense is put forth.
Building a Defense
In order to build the strongest possible defense an Anne Arundel County robbery lawyer will want to review all of the evidence and information that the prosecutors have and determine whether or not there are defenses available based on representations made by a client. Robbery cases can sometimes involve mistaken identify, and will often involve DNA, fingerprints, or surveillance evidence. There are many different pieces of evidence to go through and strategically how one prepares to respond to charges of robbery will depend on the kind of evidence that is being presented by the state.
Hiring An Attorney
Robbery charges are very serious felony offenses and as a result warrant attention from somebody with experience not only in handling felony offenses, but also in handling jury trials. With robbery cases there is often the option to have a jury trial heard by only a judge, however, many Anne Arundel robbery attorneys will prefer a jury due to the fact that it means 12 people are determining whether the person committed the offense beyond a reasonable doubt rather than just one person.
With that said, the art of practicing in front of a jury is something that requires an experience. Additionally, robbery cases can be especially difficult due to the large amount of evidence involved, and the kinds of evidence that might be involved—including surveillance videos and other material information the prosecutor might try and use—which often have special rules about their admissibility. Only a local robbery lawyer with experience litigating these cases will know how to use this evidence to argue in favor of the defense.