Contact a Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Lawyer if You Have Been Charged with Assault, Robbery, Burglary or Theft

If you have been charged with any crime in the Philadelphia area, you are advised to act promptly to ensure that your constitutional rights are protected through all phases of your case. Contact Kenneth L. Baritz & Associates, P.C., to schedule a no-obligation consultation regarding any of the following crimes, or any other criminal offense.

Assault may fall in one of two broadly defined categories:

Simple Assault: a misdemeanor. You can be charged when it is alleged that you either inflicted bodily injury upon another or intended to inflict bodily injury.
Aggravated Assault: a felony. You may be charged with aggravated assault as a felony of the first degree when it is alleged that you inflicted serious bodily injury upon another, or intended to do so. You may also be charged with aggravated assault as a felony of the second degree when it is alleged that you inflicted bodily injury or intended to inflict bodily injury against a member of a protected class, such as a police officer or teacher. In addition, you may be charged with aggravated assault as a felony of the second degree when you cause or attempt to cause bodily injury with a deadly weapon.

Robbery is a felony, but there are three different levels of robbery that are reflected in their respective grading.

Robbery as a felony of the first degree (which is the highest level) occurs when a person, while in the course of committing a theft, inflicts serious bodily injury upon another, puts them in fear of serious bodily injury, or commits or threatens to immediately commit any other felony of the first or second degree. First degree robbery often occurs when a gun or other deadly weapon is involved.
Robbery of the second degree occurs when bodily injury is inflicted or when the victim is placed in fear of immediate bodily injury.
Robbery of the third degree occurs when force, however slight, is used during the commission of the theft. This may commonly occur in a purse-snatch type of scenario where very little force is actually used and no injury is caused.

Burglary occurs when a person enters a building or occupied structure, or some other separately secured portion of a building or structure, and at the time of entry that person has the intent to commit a crime inside the premises. A key ingredient is that the person must intend to commit a crime inside the property at the time he or she actually enters.

Burglary as a felony of the first degree occurs when either the building is adapted for overnight accommodation, such as a house, or when there is a person inside the premises during the burglary.
Burglary as a felony of the second degree occurs when the structure is not adapted for overnight accommodation, such as a store or business property, and there is no one else present during the burglary.

Theft offenses including the following:

Theft by Unlawful Taking
Theft by Deception
Theft by Receiving Stolen Property
Retail Theft
Theft from a Motor Vehicle

There are specific circumstances that must be present in order for a particular theft offense to be applicable. Some theft offenses are misdemeanors, while others are felonies. A few of the factors that determine whether there is a felony theft or a misdemeanor theft are the amount of money or the value of property that is stolen, the kind of property that is stolen, and, for theft from a motor vehicle, how many prior theft from a motor vehicle convictions the person has on his/her criminal record.

Entrust your defense to a Philadelphia defense attorney who:

Will give you his full attention
Will keep your constitutional rights as a high priority
Has the experience and dedication necessary to advocate zealously on your behalf in pursuit of the best attainable outcome.

Call or e-mail Kenneth L. Baritz & Associates, P.C., to schedule an initial consultation to learn how we will work to zealously protect your interests if we represent you after a criminal arrest, in juvenile court or any county, state or federal court.