Property And Theft Offenses
Property and Theft crimes have some distinctive characteristics that are important for you to know. Theft crimes in particular have the stigma of being “crimes involving moral turpitude.” As such, there are collateral consequences that do not necessarily pertain to most other crimes. For example, if you were to testify in court, it would not typically be appropriate for a lawyer to question whether you had ever been convicted of a misdemeanor, but there is an exception for misdemeanors involving moral turpitude. Similarly, such convictions can affect employment eligibility, immigration status and a number of other considerations.
Virginia law includes provisions that will enable those convicted of certain property and theft crimes to ultimately have the charges dismissed, even after being found guilty of the crime, depending on the circumstances. While that is often a great opportunity, there may still be some collateral concerns that remain after dismissal, so you would want to consult with an attorney to discuss your options.