What To Expect After Charges Are Filed in Bucks County

If you or someone you know has been arrested in Bucks County, the following is information on what you can expect. To learn more or to discuss your case call and schedule a consultation with a Bucks County criminal lawyer today.

Processing  and Charging Documents

The first thing that takes place in most cases after an individual is arrested is they are fingerprinted and processed and bail often allowed to leave or contact a family member to come and pick them up. Then, approximately three weeks later an individual once charged with a crime will receive a complaint and charging documents in the mail certified so that they would get notice of their next court appearance which would be held at the district justice level or the magisterial district that is in the township in which they were stopped.

It is at those levels where an individual will be fulfilling anything that is required through the processing and obtain their preliminary hearing.

Preliminary Hearing

At the preliminary hearing stage it is always essential to have an experienced Bucks County criminal defense attorney at your side. The attorney can challenge the evidence even at that level and walk the government witnesses into a single story later be challenged under oath at trial. Without the assistance of an experienced Bucks County criminal defense attorney an individual may waive certain rights to have their case considered in diversionary programs. For instance ARD or first time offender’s program can only be applied for if a preliminary hearing is waived and an individual is otherwise eligible for it.

An experienced Bucks County criminal defense attorney will be able to let their client know what eligibility requirements are needed and whether or not the government will oppose or be in favor of the individual getting such a diversionary program. In some cases bail can even be reduced or made to be solely held on a person’s signature based upon the actions that the person takes up at the preliminary hearing. Therefore at that level it is essential to have the right lawyer on your side.

Court of Common Pleas

Once the preliminary hearing is done with the next step is the Court of Common Pleas in Doylestown where an individual will have a right to trial before a judge or a jury or an individual will otherwise will be directed into a diversionary program. Without the right system to the preliminary hearing a case that would have otherwise would have been able to be resolved in a positive manner may be forced to go to trial where an individual is facing incarceration or much stiffer sentences. As a result at the preliminary hearings stage it is essential for an individual to be represented by the right lawyer.