Building a Defense for Bucks County Theft Charges

If you find yourself facing charges, an experienced Bucks County theft lawyer can help you build the strongest defense possible as you navigate the intimidating and often overwhelming court system.

Attorneys can assist a client charged with theft in a number of different ways, including obtaining evidence, whether it is physical or circumstantial, in order to raise doubt as to whether or not a charge can be substantiated.

Defense Strategies

A strong counsel can use a number of defenses when attempting to fight a case involving a person accused of a theft or theft-related crime. Among the possible arguments is that the individual did not commit the crime and that it is the wrong individual that the police are focusing upon. This type of assertion often leads to what attorneys call an alibi defense, meaning that a person was not present or is not the actual person that the police are looking for.

With the help of a good lawyer, evidence be secured, obtained, and researched to prove that an individual being charged is not the one for which the authorities ought to be looking. Other possible defenses include that the item that a person is accused of taking actually belongs to that individual. In those cases, family disputes come into play, trusts come into play, and the states come into play, because a person in a particular family may have passed away and there might be some kind of argument as to who the items belong.

In those cases, having the right attorney at the earliest possible stages can often lead the case to be taken out of the criminal courtrooms and placed in a civil courtroom, thereby protecting any individuals from having a record as a result of the crime. Unlike most other cases, the type of evidence that can be obtained and the defenses that can be raised in theft crimes involve physical evidence, such as:

• Video
• Audio
• Fingerprints

Altogether, it is any sort of evidence that may also be viable in creating a defense to the charge of theft or a theft-related crime.

Alternative Sentencing Options

Theft charges in Bucks County can lead to sentences involving incarceration as well as probation. The difference involves the manner in which a case is brought to discussion with the district attorney or the local courts. Theft charges can lead to probation when the theft can be reduced, with the use of an attorney, to an amount less than $2,000.

In some cases, restitution may be paid to reduce the amount to a smaller amount, which otherwise would lead to a conviction for a misdemeanor and lead to a likely probationary sentence.

All of these attempts are made to prevent an individual from facing an otherwise severe incarceration sentence. Additionally, when the theft is reduced to a probationary status, diversionary programs, such as ARD or Section 145 restitution, come into play.

If a person is admitted to such programs, the person will be put on a probationary period and upon the conclusion of that period could end up with a record expunged and no mention of any such arrest ever being brought against them.

Role of An Attorney

The role of the criminal lawyer working with a client charged with theft or theft-related crime is that of a person with experience in the local community, the local courts, as well as the local jurisdiction that can advise the client about the best chance of obtaining an acquittal when the right evidence is presented.

Based on local customs and local courts, attorneys can also advise the client on the best way to resolve an issue. In many theft cases, working the matter out in an amicable fashion and establishing a restitution amount can often prevent a person from having a conviction for theft on their record.

There are many ways to resolve an issue, especially issues involving theft crimes. However, the best way to start is to obtain the services of an experienced Bucks County theft lawyer. Only then can an individual be assured that everything is being done in the proper jurisdiction, under the proper rules, and with the proper court procedures to ensure the right result.