Florida takes theft quite seriously, and if you have been charged with anything from a petty theft misdemeanor all the way up to grand larceny in the first degree, having an experienced attorney is the best way to put up a strong defense. Even a minor charge can have consequences you want to avoid, and it's always best not to have a criminal record of theft, even if it's a misdemeanor. A theft lawyer in Walton Beach, FL can help you prepare a strong defense.

From a Walton Beach, FL Theft Lawyer: Preparing Your Defense

1. Contacting Your Lawyer

The first step in your defense is to contact a lawyer as soon as possible after your arrest. The sooner your lawyer gets to work on the case, the better the possible outcome. The lawyer will immediately get to work protecting your right to ensure that you don't say anything that could end up being used against you. Your lawyer will also investigate the situation and the specifics of the incident to discover the best defense arguments that might be available in your case. Your defense lawyer can also quickly begin negotiating with prosecutors to see if a plea deal is an option and get you the best terms.

2. Evaluating Your Legal Options

The best tactic in any situation will depend on the specific circumstances of your arrest and the events that led up to it. In some cases, the best bet may be to find evidence that you did not intend to steal or were unaware that the item you were taking belonged to someone else. In other cases, your lawyer may be able to show that you were entrapped and would not have stolen anything under similar circumstances without that entrapment.

In other cases, you may be able to show that the victim is lying or that you have an alibi proving that you were not the person who engaged in the theft. If none of these defenses are possible, the best defense may be to plead the charge down from a felony to a misdemeanor or to work out a deal where you can do community service or otherwise avoid prison.

3. Investigating the Incident

Based on what you talk about with your lawyer in the confidence of your attorney client privilege, your lawyer will get to work investigating all the details of the incident, discovering what evidence the prosecution has against you, and moving on from there. Depending on what they discover, they may be able to bring positive evidence to bear to show that you did not commit the theft or did not mean to commit it.

Or, your lawyer may concentrate not on providing evidence of your innocence but challenging evidence of your supposed guilt. It is the prosecution's duty to prove without any reasonable doubt that you committed the crime they are charging you with. This is a very high bar, and your lawyer may be able to successfully cast enough doubt on the evidence to prevent a conviction.

Whatever you are being charged up, don't try to go up against a Florida prosecutor's office on your own. Contact the Cobb Law Firm in Destin, Fort Walton Beach, or Crestview today for help.