Pittsburgh Preliminary Hearings Lawyers
The preliminary hearing is the first significant step in any criminal case involving a misdemeanor or felony charge. In Pennsylvania, preliminary hearings are held before a magisterial district judge.
In some cases, there may be an opportunity to resolve the entire criminal case at the preliminary hearing by negotiating a plea agreement or obtaining a dismissal of the charges. In domestic violence cases, typical agreements involve a dismissal or reduction of charges based on the defendant’s participation in a six-month anger management or batterer’s intervention program.
Spivak Law Firm handles all criminal hearing with a special focus on domestic violence defense. To schedule a consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Preliminary Hearings In Allegheny County
The purpose of a preliminary hearing is not to determine a defendant’s innocence or guilt. The preliminary hearing is not the trial.
Rather, the purpose of a preliminary hearing is to determine whether there is a preponderance of evidence – meaning more likely than not – that a crime was committed and that the defendant was the person who committed that crime.
The defendant generally does not testify at the preliminary hearing. The arresting officer and alleged victim may testify at the preliminary hearing and be subjected to cross-examination to possibly undermine their allegations and create a record for trial.
To learn more about your preliminary hearing, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Contact Our Pittsburgh Law Firm Today
Call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390. Our Pittsburgh office is open during normal business hours, as well as evenings and weekends by appointment.
Spivak Law Firm represents clients in Pittsburgh and all surrounding counties, including: Allegheny County, Beaver County, Butler County, Washington County and Westmoreland County. We accept cases in Armstrong County, Clarion County, Crawford County, Fayette County, Greene County, Indiana County, Lawrence County, Mercer County, Somerset County and Venango County.