Manassas General District Court
Prosecutors in the district court treat cases very seriously. I’ll tell you that Prince William County is one of the few jurisdictions that will put a person in jail if they’ve committed shoplifting for the first time. If they have a clean record and they’re convicted of shoplifting even if it’s under $200 they do face the possibility of going to jail. So, that gives you an idea of how seriously crimes are taken in Prince William County and why contact with a Manassas criminal lawyer is so important.
Call today and schedule a free consultation to discuss your case or learn more about the General District Court.
Common Mistakes People Make in General District Court Cases
One mistake that is fairly common is people neglecting to hire an attorney when they really should.
The judges in general district court are very good about advising people that they have the right to an attorney and that you really ought to exercise that right. Most people get the message, but there are some that don’t and they will be asked to sign a waiver which waives their right to counsel and then they will proceed to trial against that person and it’s not unusual in those circumstances for a person to be found guilty and it’s not unusual for that person to get a jail sentence.
Those are all things that are avoidable simply by asking for a lawyer. I’m not suggesting that a lawyer is automatically going to make everything go away and you won’t go to jail, but at the very least you’ll know that your rights were protected and that the government did all the right things and were able to prove everything that they had to prove beyond a reasonable doubt.
Cases in General District Court in Manassas
In the general district court, cases can range from DWI cases and driving on suspended cases and all other traffic-related cases are heard there. And then on the criminal side, they’ll hear misdemeanor cases that could involve misdemeanor assault, possession of drugs, shoplifting, and trespassing, things of that nature.
Parking at Manassas General District Court
There is a lot of parking. There’s not a parking garage and so, I always recommend getting there nice and early because the parking can fill up and you see people very often scrambling and walking from pretty long distances to get to the courthouse. It is a very busy courthouse and we’re all sort of hoping that one day they’ll build a garage, but until that day comes, I would plan ahead and be early.
Public Transportation to Manassas General District Court
We are right in downtown Manassas and so there is public transportation. There is a VRE station that is within a pretty easy walk to the courthouse. There are certainly no Metro trains, but there are buses that come by.
Finding Your Way Around The Courthouse
Everything is compartmentalized, the first floor is all juvenile domestic relations court, the second floor is all general district court, and the third floor is all circuit court. So, if you know what court you’re supposed to be in, then getting to the right floor should get you to the right courtroom fairly easily.
