Philadelphia, PA Criminal Defense Attorney

Philadelphia, PA is the largest city in Pennsylvania. It is located in the Southeastern part of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia is the economic and cultural anchor of the Delaware Valley. In 1682 William Penn founded the city to serve as the capital city of the colony of Pennsylvania. Philadelphia played as a very important asset during the American Revolution, it served as a meeting place for the founding fathers. Philadelphia is also home to the liberty bell as well as the first and Second Continental Congress.

In Philadelphia, criminal cases begin in the Philadelphia Municipal Court, which serves a similar function as Magisterial District Courts. In the Philadelphia Municipal Court, testimony is taken from witnesses for use at Trial and for the Municipal Court Judge to decide which charges, if any, will proceed to the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Both the Philadelphia Municipal Court and Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas are located in Center City Philadelphia, just around the corner from our office.

Some criminal cases, such as traffic offenses and other minor infractions, are only heard at the Magisterial District Court level (or the Municipal Court level in Philadelphia) and do not proceed to the Court of Common Pleas unless they are appealed by the defendant or the District Attorney.

Whether you are facing minor criminal charges in a Magisterial District Court or the Philadelphia Municipal Court, or more serious charges in the Court of Common Pleas, our attorneys will advocate and fight for you to the end. Nothing is more important to us than your rights and your freedom.

Criminal Law

In Pennsylvania, criminal laws are defined by the Pennsylvania General Assembly as laws which are meant to “forbid and prevent … substantial harm to individual or public interest.”

At the same time, criminal laws are meant to “safeguard offenders against excessive, disproportionate or arbitrary punishment.” That is to say, people who are accused of crimes should not face penalties that outweigh the crime itself.

At Kenny, Burns & McGill, our criminal defense attorneys help the wrongfully-accused to fight the charges which have been levied against them so that they are not punished for crimes they did not commit. For clients who may admit to breaking the law or are found by a judge or jury to have committed a crime, we fight to make sure that that the sentence ordered by a judge is fair and does not disproportionately threaten our client’s liberty or livelihood.

Criminal cases in Pennsylvania usually start in a Magisterial District Court. This is where criminal cases are brought in front of a judge for the first time. Criminal defense attorneys may fight to have certain charges dismissed at this stage. The Magisterial District Court is where Preliminary Hearings are held, during which testimony is taken from witnesses for use at Trial and for the Magisterial District Judge to decide what charges, if any, will proceed to the county-level Court of Common Pleas.

In Philadelphia, criminal cases begin in the Philadelphia Municipal Court, which serves a similar function as Magisterial District Courts. In the Philadelphia Municipal Court, testimony is taken from witnesses for use at Trial and for the Municipal Court Judge to decide which charges, if any, will proceed to the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas. Both the Philadelphia Municipal Court and Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas are located in Center City Philadelphia, just around the corner from our office.

Some criminal cases, such as traffic offenses and other minor infractions, are only heard at the Magisterial District Court level (or the Municipal Court level in Philadelphia) and do not proceed to the Court of Common Pleas unless they are appealed by the defendant or the District Attorney.

As one would imagine, different crimes carry different sentences. The Pennsylvania General Assembly lays out maximum sentences for each level of offense in the table below. At Kenny, Burns & McGill, we are successful in working with District Attorneys and Judges to avoid the maximum sentences for many of our clients, even if they have been convicted of serious offenses.

At Kenny, Burns & McGill, our criminal defense lawyers work hard to protect the rights of our clients, avoid wrongful and extreme sentences, and provide peace of mind. We address our criminal defense clients’ questions and concerns so that they can make informed decisions throughout the entire legal process.

The criminal defense attorneys at Kenny, Burns & McGill work on cases throughout Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, Bucks, and Montgomery counties, as well as Lancaster, Delaware, and many others. Our criminal defense attorneys also work on cases throughout New Jersey, in local Municipal Courts as well as in New Jersey Superior Courts.

Some areas within Philadelphia that we have provided our Criminal Defense efforts to include the following:

Center City, South Philadelphia, West Philadelphia, Conshohocken, Manayunk, North Philadelphia, Penn’s Landing, Kensington, Chestnut Hill, Germantown, Old City, Fishtown, Society Hill, Mount Airy, Frankford