Role Of A Shoplifting Attorney In Bucks County

When you have an attorney by your side, representing you in court and constructing the strongest possible defense, you can rest assured that someone is dedicated to protecting your record and presenting your side of the story. Because of the adversarial nature of the court system, having a knowledgeable and experienced Bucks County shoplifting attorney means you will have a qualified guide and advisor throughout the often confusing and overwhelming process.

Providing Knowledge and Experience

Sometimes local courts find that a quick plea of guilty is the easiest way to resolve a case. At first glance, this seems like the most efficient way to handle it, as the individual pays the fine and is free to leave. However, without the benefit of a defense attorney, the individual is likely unaware that having a conviction for retail theft on their record prevents them from working and seeking employment in hundreds of different retail establishments or other establishments that deal with money and transfers of funds.

Often, these companies do not allow a person with even a summary conviction for retail theft to be employed. There are many other types of establishments that also have policies against hiring anyone with a retail theft summary conviction, including:

• Hospitals
• Banks
• Police Stations
• Government Agencies

Before a person pays a fine and thinks that the matter is open and shut and no longer a concern, they should be well aware that such a conviction, even under the most minimal of the circumstance, may severely impact their future. Leveraging the knowledge and experience of an attorney can greatly increase the chances of protecting one’s future ability to be employed and, in more serious cases, help avoid or reduce time spent in jail.

Assistance During Arraignment

In Bucks County as in the rest of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, an individual must enter a plea of guilty or not guilty at the initial arraignment. An attorney can assure the person that a plea of guilty to retail theft will not be entered unless it is reduced in a fashion does not affect the individual’s future.

Entering a plea at the arraignment can cause an individual to have a conviction on their record, which otherwise cannot be expunged. Even in cases where it can, the expungement can only be pursued after five years. Therefore, at the arraignment it is essential that an attorney speak on behalf of their client.

Benefit of Hiring a Local Attorney

A person charged with shoplifting in Bucks County ought to hire a local attorney because a local attorney has years of experience obtaining all of the information, has appeared before every judge in the county, and has defended against nearly every prosecutor in the prosecutor’s office.

Thus, a local attorney has the ability to advise their client of every step that needs to be taken to attempt to have this charge kept from becoming a permanent mark on their record. A lawyer familiar with the area has the local ties and understands the local courts well enough to be able to work toward a successful resolution.

Thanks to this, they can have a matter resolved in the most expeditious way possible. Knowing the courts, the police, and the prosecutors allows your lawyer to work as quickly as possible in the most favorable way to protect your future.