In a city with a base, a research center and a university in it, a charge is read by people who decide things — a clearance adjudicator, a dean, a commissioning board, an employer running an annual check. That is usually the real stake and rarely the one discussed at the roadside. Decker Law defends misdemeanors and felonies in Hampton’s Eighth Circuit courts. Call 757-622-3317 — free and confidential, any hour.
A CHARGE IS AN ACCUSATION, NOT A VERDICT
Most people who call this firm about a charge have never been arrested and a good number begin by apologizing. They are braced for a lecture and they do not get one. We have represented more than forty-one thousand people on criminal matters since 1995. Whatever happened, it is not new here, and it will not change how you are spoken to.
What is worth establishing quickly is what the charge threatens outside the courtroom, because in Hampton that is frequently something with a form attached to it. A clearance adjudication. An enrollment or a financial aid review. A commissioning board. An employer who runs checks every January. Those processes do not wait for a court date and they do not weigh a charge the way a judge does, which is exactly why the disposition matters more than the argument.
The reason we can usually read that early is that two of our attorneys worked the other side of it. George Neskis spent four years as an Assistant Commonwealth’s Attorney; Cole Roberts began as a public defender, the heaviest caseload anybody in a courthouse carries. Between them they watched cases get charged, screened and priced long before a defense lawyer saw the file, so a read on what the Commonwealth will do with yours is a read rather than a guess. That is a practical advantage, not a relational one.
WHAT WE BRING TO A HAMPTON FILE
What the form says afterward
A clearance adjudicator reads the disposition, not the transcript. We work backward from what gets reported rather than what gets argued.
A former public defender
Cole Roberts learned this under the heaviest caseload in the building, which is where you find out how a docket really behaves.
A record of trying cases
Prosecutors keep track of who tries cases and who never does. What gets offered tends to follow.
THE PART THAT CANNOT BE DONE LATER
A Hampton case moves through the General District Court and, where the charge is a felony, up to the Eighth Circuit Court by way of a preliminary hearing and a grand jury. Juvenile and domestic matters have their own court. Most people never need to know any of that until the week they do.
Timing matters more than sequence, and in a city where people move as often as they do here it matters twice over. The person who saw what happened may have orders by spring. The supervisor who could speak to your record may have rotated out. Discovery asked for now comes back as answers; asked for later it comes back as another court date. Very little about a file improves by sitting, and in Hampton some of it actively decays.
Which is why the call is worth making before the first hearing rather than after it. Nobody here will only tell you what you would like to hear about a charge. What you will get is the realistic range of outcomes, a straight answer on whether the clearance or the enrollment is genuinely in danger, and a list of what has to happen this week to protect the better end of it.
Joel Weintraub has been practicing law for over 40 years and focuses his practice on civil litigation involving disputes between individuals and corporations. Joel’s recent cases involve corporate litigation, personal injury, business law, will and trust contests and interpretation, shareholder rights, and estate administration.
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Peter Decker, III
Peter Decker, III focuses his practice on criminal, traffic, and personal injury. He regularly practices in the General District, Juvenile and Domestic Relations, and Circuit Courts of Virginia Beach, Norfolk, Chesapeake, Portsmouth, Hampton, Suffolk and Newport News.
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Martin Thomas
Martin Thomas is the firm’s president and managing attorney, concentrating on personal injury, criminal, and traffic law. He handles multimillion-dollar injury cases throughout Virginia and has been named to Super Lawyers for personal injury.
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Cole Roberts
A Norfolk native and former Public Defender, Cole Roberts represents clients in criminal defense and traffic matters, from reckless driving and DUI to serious felonies. He has tried numerous jury cases across the seven Hampton Roads cities.
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Michelle Parker
Michelle Parker concentrates on personal injury, elder law, wills, trusts and estates, litigation, corporate law, and criminal defense. She handles civil, probate, and traffic cases throughout the seven cities of Greater Hampton Roads.
years defending these charges in Hampton Roads courts
HEAR FROM THE PEOPLE DECKER LAW HAS HELPED
Julia W.
I called the office to see if I could speak to somebody concerning a question I had helping a family member that was very important and urgent. Joe Rigney returned my call immediately. He was very pleasant and eager to help. Thank you so much.
I cannot express enough my gratitude to the Decker Law Firm, specifically Mr. George Neskis for his assistance in my case. I have been represented once before prior to this most recent time by George, and both times he worked diligently to ensure not only the best outcome for my situation but also a dismissal of the charges. I knew I was in good hands when every time I brought up his name, he received nothing but praise from his peers. He is competent, a professional, treats you with respect, and has my full trust in any matter. Thank you again George.
I highly recommend Mr. Cole Roberts for anyone needing expert legal representation. I was facing a speeding charge of 20 mph over, and he successfully got it reduced to a non-moving violation for faulty equipment.Although his firm is based in Norfolk, he personally came up to Yorktown to handle my case, which I truly appreciated. As someone on active duty, it was a huge relief that the firm understood the unpredictability of my work. They were fully prepared to handle everything and work around my schedule if I had been sent out of town for my court date.Their communication was top-notch. They always picked up the phone or responded quickly, which gave me a lot of peace of mind throughout the process. If you need a firm that is efficient, proactive, and delivers results, this is the one to call.
My experience with The Decker Law Firm was great!Attorney Weintraub and his paralegal whom I have consulted a few times, they have always been knowledgeable, practical and effective.Thanks Again!
The BEST!I met Michelle Parker during 2007 when I hired her to handle my mothers estate and affairs. During such a difficult time for us, Michelle Parker has always shown me respect, compassion and kindness. She is very personable, approachable and has a good relationship with the court, clients and other attorneys. Michelle Parker is an outstanding attorney, knows every aspect and is there for you every step of the way.I highly recommend Michelle Parker.
Absolutely the best attorney I’ve ever worked with! George Neskis was professional, responsive, and genuinely cared about my son’s case. George’s guidance and persistence delivered results beyond what I expected. It’s a rarity to find someone so skilled yet so approachable. I’m forever grateful and will always recommend George Neskis to anyone who needs a dedicated advocate.
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