Most people accused of a crimes don't understand the charges facing them.
On TV, an alleged criminal is charged with one crime such as theft or rape. When you hear about other people charged with a crime, you usually only hear about one “crime”, such as domestic assault or embezzlement. Rarely do we hear about more than one charge.
Yet, often, one action can lead to multiple charges, leading to numerous and important questions. Which, if any of the charges, is a felony? What are the potential penalties for each charge? What are the potential penalties for all of the charges together?
If you stand accused of a committing a single misdeed but face two, three, four or a dozen criminal charges, only an experienced defense attorney can explain the legal distinctions and consequences of the various charges, or counts. Different charges can have different effects on your life which may be permanent including:
- Loss of custody of a child
- A criminal record publicly available on the internet
- Lifelong difficult finding employment
- The need to pay restitution
- Loss of a professional license
- Loss of employment
- Loss of a pension
- Loss of financial aid eligibility for students
- Embarrassment for the accused and their family
- Deportation or removal from the United States
Regardless of the nature of the crime, or the penalties one is facing, it is essential that an accused has an experienced criminal defense attorney protecting their rights at every stage of the legal proceedings against them. Don't try to handle a complicated situation without professional help. You can ask our criminal defenese attorneys questions about your case in person, for free, and with no obligation. Michael Parkinson, Timothy Tarpey, and James Lloyd are criminal defense attorneys and former Philadelphia Assistant District Attorneys with more than 40 years experience who have handled thousands of criminal cases. Tim Tarpey and Jim Lloyd are also Certified Fraud Examiners (CFE).
Talk to an experienced attorney to learn about your rights and defend them in Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, and Delaware Counties. Call us at (215) 352-3432.