Whether you are facing your first criminal charge or need help preventing a new conviction from going on your record, a Norristown criminal defense lawyer from McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. can provide you with an aggressive defense. Depending on the nature and severity of your charges, you could end up paying steep fines, losing your professional license, losing driving privileges, or even spending time in jail or prison.
While some people attempt to defend themselves against criminal charges, you do not have to go through this alone. Defending yourself could mean risking your freedom.
Norristown criminal defense attorney David C. McKenzie III can help you understand what to expect and provide support throughout the criminal justice process. If you currently have charges against you or expect to face criminal charges, call McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. today for a case review.
Case-Related Concerns a Criminal Defense Lawyer Can Address for You
In addition to protecting your rights and defending you in court, having a criminal defense lawyer on your side means having access to someone familiar with the criminal justice system. We will explain the legal process to you, help you navigate the complexities of your case, and ensure you know what to expect every step of the way.
We can also explain:
- The possible outcomes of your case, as well as likely consequences of each outcome
- What happens if you plead guilty and if there are any advantages of doing so
- Whether a plea agreement may be possible
- The pros and cons of any possible plea agreement
- The benefits and drawbacks of going to trial
- The best strategy for getting a positive outcome in your case
- Our options for limiting the damages a conviction would cause
Regardless of the charges against you, our defense team can provide guidance about the options available in your case.
For a free legal consultation with a lawyer serving Norristown, call (610) 680-7842
Possible Defenses in Your Criminal Case
No two criminal cases are the same, so we cannot offer specific advice until we review the facts of your arrest and the charges against you. After your free case review, we can help you understand all aspects of your case, including the nature of the penalties you may face. Summary charges or minor misdemeanors may lead to moderate fines or probation, but more serious charges can mean jail time, significant fines, and other life-altering consequences.
A strong defense is the best option for anyone facing criminal charges. In addition to protecting your rights, our firm can formulate your defense strategy, represent you at trial (if your case proceeds that far), and aggressively fight the charges against you.
We will fully investigate the situation that led to your charges. This may result in three possible outcomes:
- We identify evidence to prove your innocence.
- We uncover evidence to show police failed to follow proper procedures or violated your civil rights and ask the court to throw out the evidence against you.
- We get a better understanding of the case against you and focus on reducing possible penalties, possibly through a plea bargain.
Before your case ever goes to court, we can attempt to help you by asking the prosecutor or judge to:
- Reduce your bail to get you out of jail sooner
- Drop or reduce the charges, based on our investigation
- Offer a plea bargain for a lesser charge
If we cannot convince the court to drop or reduce the charges, negotiating a plea bargain may be the best option for a positive outcome in a criminal case. However, we could also decide to take your case to court. This is usually a good option if we believe the jury will acquit you or if there is no way to reduce your charges.
Whatever our strategy, we will fight to get you back to your normal life as quickly as possible.
Norristown Criminal Defense Lawyer Near Me (610) 680-7842
Why Is It Worth Hiring a Criminal Defense Lawyer, Regardless of Your Specific Charges?
Even if the criminal charges against you are “minor,” you must fully consider the effects of a conviction. Beyond the legal consequences in your case, a conviction or unfavorable plea deal may:
- Cause you to lose your job
- Make it difficult to gain future employment
- Compromise your custody of your child
- Force you to answer difficult questions from friends, family, and romantic partners
- Make it difficult to seal or expunge the conviction from your record
- Have significant psychological effects
David McKenzie will work tirelessly to spare you from these outcomes. While hiring a lawyer is never a guarantee of a certain result, you must recognize the benefits that our firm can provide you. McKenzie and his staff:
- Have legal training and experience that you may not have: Unless you are a lawyer, McKenzie and his team likely have legal knowledge and experience that you lack.
- Will handle the day-to-day responsibilities of your case: A criminal defense case is far more than plea negotiations or court. Your case may involve completing paperwork, securing evidence, interviewing witnesses, conversing with experts, and taking many other steps. Our team will handle each of these tasks and complete them promptly and thoroughly.
- Will use their prosecutorial knowledge to your advantage: David McKenzie is a former prosecutor, and he will use this experience to your advantage. He may have keen insight into aspects of your case that only a former prosecutor may recognize.
If you don’t hire an attorney, you are exposing yourself to stress, confusion, and the possibility of a poor case result.
Former Clients Discuss How David McKenzie and His Team Helped Them
We have helped many clients who found themselves in legal trouble. Our client testimonials give you a sense of how we will help you:
- “I highly recommend David McKenzie III. David McKenzie III provided me excellent service and a lot of legal knowledge regarding my case. He was very attentive with my case and he always made himself available to take my call. I will definitely recommend him to anyone who is in need of a good, professional attorney.” – Bruno Santana, former client
- “David McKenzie is the best attorney I have ever had. Has helped me out so much when I didn’t think it was gonna work out. He is always quick to respond to any of my questions. Always kept me up to date with everything that was going on. Great guy, I would highly recommend him to anyone!” – Mitch Trinh, former client
- “I am so glad I allowed Mr. David McKenzie to represent our family. From the start, I knew we were in good hands. Mr. McKenzie went above and beyond to keep us informed of what was happening and was always available to answer any questions we had along the way. 100% will recommend him to anyone who needs an attorney!” – Kody Pham, former client
These experiences are not rare. We aim to provide excellent service to each client we represent. Just as importantly, we aim to secure the best possible outcome in cases like yours.
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Your Rights and the Pennsylvania Criminal Justice Process
Knowing what to expect from each step of the Pennsylvania criminal justice process—and having us on your side to protect your rights—can help ease the stress of an arrest.
We will guide you through every step of the legal process, which generally includes:
Arrest and Preliminary Arraignment
If the charge against you is serious enough to warrant arrest, you may spend several hours in jail before seeing a judge for your preliminary arraignment. During this hearing, the judge will explain the charges against you, inform you of your right to a defense attorney, and set your bail.
The Preliminary Hearing
During the preliminary hearing, the prosecutor must provide evidence to convince the court a crime occurred and that you are a likely suspect. We can also present evidence in your defense during this hearing.
The preliminary hearing offers us a chance to learn more about the case against you. A judge may also drop the charges at this point. If not, they will schedule a formal arraignment.
Plea Agreements
After your formal arraignment, we can begin to focus our efforts on negotiating a plea deal. A plea agreement requires you to plead guilty to a lesser charge in exchange for a lesser sentence, instead of taking the case to trial.
Trial and Sentencing
If a plea agreement is not possible in your case—or if we decide there is a strategy that suits your case better—we will focus on building a strong defense to present in court during your criminal trial.
If your case goes to trial, we will present your case to the court and defend you against the prosecution’s allegations. The jury will then deliberate and determine if they believe you committed the crime. Then, the court will impose its sentence or find you not guilty.
If you are facing a jury trial, you may benefit from the help of a Norristown criminal defense attorney. Our legal team can defend your rights and fight for a positive outcome in your case.
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Start Working With a Norristown Criminal Defense Lawyer Today
Attorney David C. McKenzie III and the criminal defense team from McKenzie Law Firm, P.C. can help you fight the charges against you. We will take aggressive action to get the best possible outcome based on the facts of your case. Call (610) 680-7842 today to get started.
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