When you face criminal charges, every part of your life is affected. Your reputation in the community may be diminished. Your position at work can come under review. Your relationships with family and friends often suffer. Your custody or visitation arrangement with your children might be threatened. As difficult as all of that is, it is nowhere near as devastating as the effects of a criminal conviction. If you are found guilty of a crime, you may be required to spend time in jail, pay court costs and fines, complete a drug or alcohol treatment program and endure years of restrictive probation. You could lose your right to vote for a period of time or to own firearms. If you are here on a visa or are seeking citizenship, you may be deported or have your citizenship application denied. All of these consequences and more are why you should fight when you are charged with a crime. You need to work with experienced Plum Borough criminal defense attorneys to contest these charges and to protect life as you know it.
The attorneys of Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys are proud to serve the Allegheny County community and represent you against criminal charges. Whether the prosecutor brought a misdemeanor or felony charge, we are here to help. We dedicate time to get to know you, carefully investigate and analyze your situation, and build you a custom defense. We have witnessed the consequences of a criminal conviction firsthand and will do what we can to protect you and your family from this situation. Our focus will always be to win you the best outcome possible in your case.
DUI in Plum Borough
Pennsylvania uses a tiered system for charging and penalizing DUI offenses. While a first-time DUI with a BAC between .08 percent and .099 does not require any time in prison, you will have to submit to months of probation, the loss of your driver’s license for a period of time and a pay a hefty fine. If you have a higher BAC during your first DUI offense, you could spend months in prison, face a longer license suspension, and have to pay much higher fines.
When you have been charged with a DUI, you should work with an experienced DUI defense lawyer to fight for the charges to be dropped or reduced. If both options are impossible and a conviction is likely, your attorney will argue for the minimum sentence available under the law. Though the consequences of a DUI are undoubtedly harsh, your attorney can appeal to the judge for leniency since you are a first-time offender. After all, a mistake should not create unjust hardship or hold you back in school or your careers.
Pennsylvania’s Implied Consent Law
It can be difficult to know when you can refuse to take a breath, blood or urine test, however, this is crucial information. The police cannot always ask you to submit to a chemical test. They must first have the reasonable belief that you having been driving while intoxicated. This belief must be based on facts and not gut feelings. If the police have enough facts to support a DUI charge, they will arrest you and ask you to submit to a chemical test. When the request for a breath, urine, or blood test is connected to a DUI arrest, it is lawful and you are required to submit to it. If you refuse to take a chemical test, you can be charged with breaking the state’s implied consent law, resulting in the automatic suspension of your driver’s license for one year.
Marijuana Charges in Plum Borough
Despite evolving attitudes toward marijuana, it remains a Schedule I controlled substance. It does not matter that medical marijuana is expanding across the United States or that some places have legalized recreational use. In Pennsylvania, marijuana possession, cultivation, distribution, and trafficking are all illegal. If you are found with marijuana, you will be charged with a crime that could result in imprisonment and serious fines.
If the police find you are in possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana for your personal use, you will be charged with a fine. At most, you will spend up to 30 days in prison and pay a $500 fine. However, this is the best case scenario for a marijuana crime. If you are found to be in possession of larger quantities of the drug or of selling it to others, prosecutors may charge you with a felony, punishable by years in prison and significantly higher fines.
Call a Plum Borough Criminal Lawyer for Help Today
An experienced criminal defense attorney is a powerful ally in fighting against criminal charges. A private defense attorney has time to focus on your case, unlike an overworked public defender. At Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, our goal is to serve you as best we can at all times. This includes spending time getting to know you and your case. After fully investigating the accusations against you, we will advise you on your rights and best options for moving forward. At Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, we will do whatever it takes to achieve the best possible outcome for your situation.
Call us today at (412) 281-2146 or contact us online to schedule a free consultation.
