Felonies
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Felony Defense Attorney in Philadelphia
The offices of Derek Steenson Attorney at Law in Philadelphia, PA assist clients in legal services when facing felony criminal charges. If you should find yourself under criminal investigation, I am the lawyer to help. A felony is not something to take lightly.
Felony Penalties in Pennsylvania
Felony penalties in PA are very stern. Courts often incarcerate people convicted of felonies, taking years out of their lives. These offenses require a defense as tough as, or tougher than the laws and the penalties adjudicated.
Services
- Challenge cause for arrest
- Pretrial instruction
- Challenge evidence
- Expunge
- Ask for bail reduction
- Work to get charges dropped
- Plea bargain
- Analyze the case
- Pre-trial Motions
- Trials
- Appeals
Let’s begin with a simple question, what exactly is a felony? Felonies in Pennsylvania are crimes deemed by the legislature to be more serious than misdemeanor offenses. Aside from homicide charges, felonies are graded as either first degree (punishable by up to twenty years in prison), second degree (punishable by up to ten years in prison), or third degree (punishable by up to seven years in prison). I am a trained attorney and defend against these charges in an effort to win the case or reduce the possible sentence depending on the situation.
The well known common law felonies were murder, robbery, manslaughter, rape, sodomy, larceny, arson, mayhem, and burglary. Pennsylvania’s felonies are delineated by statute. There are many offenses labeled as felonies in Pennsylvania, including many non-violent crimes such as theft offenses and drug crimes.
All felonies are serious. Misdemeanor charges on the surface are not as severe. It is possible to face misdemeanor charges which eventually get amended upwards into a felony. Many incidents involving weapons, everyday objects that the police call weapons, simple assaults, and thefts routinely change from misdemeanor charges to felonies as the case progresses.
Why You Do Not Want to Go to Court Without an Attorney?
I safeguard the privileges of my clients within the legal system. Simply being accused of a felony and not being convicted will still show up on your record without proper representation. This can injure your chances of getting or keeping a good job. Employers routinely do background investigations to fill jobs.
There are laws that protect people against the utilization of arrest histories for employment, however, once this information is unveiled, even erroneously, the record is out there for all to see. Whether you have an arrest, a pending case, or a conviction, your life changes when you enter the criminal justice system.
The serious and substantial effects of felony charges call for hiring a good lawyer. Facing arrest in a relatively low-level case without the help of a seasoned attorney could very well result in overcharging causing you to deal with felony charges that would not otherwise exist.
First Degree Felony Charge in Philadelphia
I am a Philadelphia attorney and acquainted with the laws of the state and the customs and practices of the local police and judges. Felonies are set up in three distinct categories with first-degree felony being the harshest. These include but are not limited to:
- Robbery (threatening with a deadly weapon while committing a felony crime)
- Kidnapping
- Voluntary manslaughter
- Rape and other sex crimes
- Certain gun charges
- Burglary
- Aggravated Assault
- Arson
1st-degree felonies are punishable by up to 20 years in prison. There are many 1st degree felonies on the books. The difference between 1st and 2nd degree, and therefore 20 and 10-year maximum sentences, can only be determined by a trained legal mind. If you go it alone or choose the wrong lawyer, you could be looking at a much larger sentence.
Whether the incident resulted from willful intent, or you found yourself in accidental or unavoidable circumstances, you need an attorney who can fight for your rights. Many completely innocent people are arrested and charged. Some of them think they don’t need a paid lawyer because they trust in the system. Those people are sadly mistaken. The state prisons in Pennsylvania are filled with people who assumed someone, a public defender, the police, a witness, would speak up for them and everything would work out fine. Just because you have rights doesn’t mean you can sit back and wait for justice. If you want to win your case you have to take an aggressive stance and take the fight to the other side.
On top of the already harsh punishments allowed in a case, the sentences can and will be increased if you have past convictions which increase your prior record score or if you are already on probation. Having a prior record can greatly increase the amount of potential jail time you can get.
Second Degree Felony Charge in Philadelphia
Second-degree felonies are punishable by up to 10 years in prison. 2nd Degree felony crimes include but are not limited to certain types of:
- Sexual assault crimes
- Robbery Charges
- Gun Charges
- Burglaries
- Aggravated Assaults
- Forgeries
- Child Pornography Charges
- Arsons
- Counterfeiting
Third Degree Felony Charge in Philadelphia PA
Third Degree Felonies are punishable by up to 7 years in prison. Examples include:
- Forging documents
- Bad checks
- Access device fraud
- Vehicular Homicide
- First-time child pornography
- Carrying an unlicensed firearm
- Trademark counterfeiting under a certain amount
- Perjury
- Retail theft (repeat offender)
- Theft of services
The average person cannot manage any criminal charge alone, let alone a felony. Filings, subpoenas for documents, investigations, and motions may be necessary to move your case along efficiently. Not knowing what to do might land you in prison for a very long time even if you are innocent.
Experienced Defense Attorneys Protecting Your Rights
Every individual has the right to have proper legal counsel to prevent wrongful convictions. Everyone, even those who are partially or completely guilty have the right to a vigorous defense and trial. Each situation is unique, and Derek Steenson Attorney at Law can help clients wade through the laws and facts that are relevant to their particular case. If you are having felony legal trouble, call today.
