Pittsburgh Criminal Lawyers
Criminal Court: The Process
If your criminal case cannot be resolved at the preliminary hearing before a magistrate, it moves to the Court of Common Pleas in the county where the alleged crime occurred.
First, there will be a formal arraignment. Your attorney will enter his or her appearance and obtain your next court date.
Next, there will be a pretrial conference. Your attorney will meet with the prosecutor to discuss everything from documentary evidence to key witnesses to potential settlement options including plea deals.
If the case cannot be resolved, it will move to a trial. Your case may be tried before the assigned judge or a jury of your peers.
Spivak Law Firm handles all areas of criminal defense with a special focus on domestic-violence defense.
For a free consultation, call us at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Don’t Let A Criminal Record Hold You Back
If a criminal record is holding you back, you now have several options for relief under Pennsylvania law.
First, if the charges were withdrawn or dismissed, or if you were convicted on a low-level offense and five years have passed, you can have your record expunged, which effectively erases the information from the public dockets.
Second, Pennsylvania recently adopted a new law allowing for limited access orders, which restricts employment agencies and internet websites from accessing any information relating to a conviction or arrest for people convicted of second- and third-degree misdemeanors.
Third, if you are currently serving a sentence for a crime, you can seek total forgiveness through by formally requesting a pardon from the governor. Obtaining a pardon tends to be more expensive and challenging the administrative processes for obtaining an expungement or limited access order.
To learn more about options for dealing with your criminal record, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Victim Impact Statements in Criminal Trials
Under Pennsylvania law, a crime victim may provide an impact statement to the Court at the time of sentencing.
Impact statements offer victims an opportunity to persuade the judge regarding appropriate sentencing, as well as the ability to confront their perpetrator and describe how their actions adversely affected their lives.
Victim impact statements may be provided after a trial. They may also be given after a defendant has accepted a plea agreement even when the terms of sentencing have been agreed upon by the prosecutor.
It is unclear whether these statements have much influence over judges.
It should be noted that a criminal-court judge may not rubber-stamp the agreed-upon sentencing terms offered in a plea deal.
Spivak Law Firm handles all criminal-defense matters with a special focus on domestic-violence defense. Typical charges include: assault, harassment, terroristic threats, stalking, reckless endangerment, and PFA violations.
For a free consultation, call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.
Harassment In Family Court
Leaving an abusive relationship should put an end to the abuse, but that is frequently not the case when there are children involved. The abusive parent may utilize the child custody courts to harass the victim, even when the abused party has a Protection From Abuse (PFA) order.
The courts often favor shared custody schedules, which are unfortunately ideal for abusers, as this affords them the opportunity to continue controlling the abused spouse through the children.
Because the courts often favor shared custody, it is crucial to speak to an experienced child custody attorney who may develop a workable agreement that keeps parental conflict to a minimum.
Spivak Law Firm’s attorney has extensive experience with child custody cases involving domestic violence. To schedule a consultation call Spivak Law Firm at (412) 344-4900 or toll free at (800) 545-9390.