When facing a criminal offense in Pennsylvania, it is almost always to the advantage of an individual charged to have a local criminal attorney on their side. A Chester County criminal lawyer can assist in examining the evidence and available and putting together a strong defense. To discuss your case with a local attorney and begin building a defense, consult with a criminal lawyer in Pennsylvania today.
In Chester County, Pennsylvania, similar to other parts of Pennsylvania, crimes are classified on the criminal level in three distinct areas. First, there are summary offenses, second, there are criminal misdemeanor offenses, and third, there are criminal felony offenses.
Summary offenses encompass very minor acts, such as disorderly conduct, public drunkenness, or any sort of non-criminal driving matter. These are the least common types of offenses as most crimes as classified as either misdemeanors or felonies. However, even summary offense can have serious consequences, making it important a criminal attorney in Chester County is contacted.
Misdemeanors are crimes that can carry as high as a five-year incarceration sentence and fines up to $10,000. Felony offenses are crimes than can carry triple the sentencing time and fines up to $250,000, depending on what is charged and what occurred in a particular case. A majority of all cases charged in the criminal defense area in Chester County involve misdemeanor charges, such as DUI, possession, retail theft, and general theft offenses. While they do seek incarceration type sentences, hefty fines, and court costs, they are much lower than what is otherwise faced in a serious felony.
It is the serious felony charges in Pennsylvania that can put a person away for a significant period of time. The most common are aggravated assault, aggravated assault by weapon, aggravated assault by vehicle, attempted murder, murder, any and most sexual offenses, and most drug offenses involving sales and/or the purchase of a quantity in excess of personal use. In most of those situations, incarceration is always an option for the prosecution, and the only way to put an individual in the best position to try to avoid such sentences when charged with certain felony offenses is to obtain the services of an experienced Chester County criminal defense lawyer.
Knowing the local courts, especially at the district court level, makes an individual’s case much more viable for an acquittal, a dismissal, or some sort of conclusion that protects an individual’s future. Each district court has its own rules that must be followed, so it is essential to obtain the services of an experienced attorney who has worked in Chester County before.
Additionally, an individual charged with a serious matter will have their matter completed in the county seat of West Chester, Pennsylvania. It is in West Chester that a Court of Common Pleas judge will make the final determination of an individual’s case. Each judge has their own rules, courtroom etiquette, and district attorney assigned directly to them. Therefore, when charged with a serious crime it is essential to reach out to an experienced Chester County criminal defense attorney.
Mistakes made early often bar an individual from seeking certain remedies later on. Therefore, navigating such a difficult criminal justice system without an attorney or with an inexperienced attorney is never wise. With an attorney with the right connections, the right understanding of local law, and the right experience, charges can be reduced prior to any major hearing in West Chester, Pennsylvania and/or negotiated in some kind of diversionary fashion, even at the district court level.
Therefore, hiring a criminal defense attorney in Chester County is extremely beneficial and often the strongest way to proceed and defend oneself against certain charges.