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Criminal Charges in Pennsylvania

Being charged with a crime in Philadelphia is both scary and upsetting, and it can have a devastating and lasting impact on you and your family. No matter what crime or crimes you have been charged with, you have the absolute right to defend yourself against any criminal charges brought against you. Our Philadelphia criminal defense attorneys fully understand how frightening this situation can be, and we are ready and willing to help you prepare a strong defense against your criminal charges.

Under Pennsylvania law, crimes are generally divided into three categories: summary offenses, misdemeanors, and felonies. A summary offense is considered the least serious kind of offense and generally includes certain traffic offenses or disorderly conduct offenses such as loitering or harassment. Employers are not allowed to consider these types of offenses as relevant to a hiring decision. However, if you have been charged with a summary offense, you are almost certainly facing having to pay a fine of up to $300, and you may also be facing up to ninety days in prison.

Misdemeanor and Felonies

A misdemeanor is considered less serious of an offense than a felony, but it can still come with serious consequences. For example:

• A third degree misdemeanor is punishable by up to one year in prison and a maximum fine of $2,500. Common third degree misdemeanors in Pennsylvania include marijuana possession or petty theft.
• A second degree misdemeanor is punishable by up to two years in prison and a maximum fine of $5,000. Common second degree misdemeanors in Pennsylvania include shoplifting, fraud, or writing bad checks.
• A first degree misdemeanor, the most serious, is punishable by up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000. Common first degree misdemeanors in Pennsylvania include simple assault, repeated instances of driving while intoxicated, or even making terroristic threats.

In addition, misdemeanors are included on your permanent record, and employers are permitted to consider misdemeanors as relevant information when making hiring decisions, which means that you may have a difficult time finding a job if you have been charged with and convicted of a misdemeanor.

A felony is the most serious type of criminal offense under Pennsylvania law. These types of offenses come with the most severe punishments that increase depending on how serious the felony is considered to be. Unlike some other states, Pennsylvania divides each felony offense, such as murder or theft, into three categories with varying degrees of punishment. For example:

• Theft in the third degree occurs when the amount stolen is over $2,000 or if the property stolen is a plane, car, motorcycle, or motorboat. Someone who receives stolen property may also be charged with theft in the third degree if the receiver is in the business of dealing in stolen property. This offense is punishable by up to seven years in prison and a maximum of $25,000 in fines.
• Theft in the second degree occurs when the theft is perpetrated during a natural disaster or if the property stolen is a firearm. It also occurs if the amount stolen is between $100,000 and $500,000. The offense is punishable by up to ten years in prison and a maximum of $25,000 in fines.
• Theft in the first degree occurs if the amount stolen is greater than $500,000. Someone who receives a stolen firearm and is in the business of dealing in stolen property may also be charged with theft in the first degree. The offense is punishable by up to twenty years in prison and a maximum of $25,000 in fines.

Three Degrees

Murder charges are similarly divided into three degrees. Third degree murder, which is usually unintentional and does not occur during the commission of a felony, is punishable by up to seven years in prison and a maximum of $25,000 in fines. Second degree murder, or murder committed during the perpetration of a felony (such as robbery), is punishable by life in prison and a maximum of $25,000 in fines. And first degree murder, or the intentional killing of another human being, is by far the most serious offense, because it is punishable either by death or by life in prison without the possibility of parole.

Felonies are always put on your permanent record and can be considered by employers as relevant to the hiring process. Some employers have a policy of refusing to hire individuals charged with a felony. This can place an enormous burden on you and your family. Even if you were ultimately convicted and served your time, you may still be facing serious and lifelong consequences because of your felony conviction if you are unable to find work and earn an income to support yourself and your family.

Our attorneys will also represent you if you have been charged with driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. The penalties for DUI depend on how high your blood alcohol content is and how many times you have been previously arrested for a DUI. However, punishments can be as high as up to five years in prison and up to $10,000 in fines, as well as mandatory alcohol and drug treatment and other penalties. DUIs and other traffic offenses can have an affect on your ability to keep your driver’s license, which may make it very difficult to hold a job and earn an income for yourself and your family. If you have been arrested for a DUI or have been charged with any other traffic offense, these charges should be taken very seriously.