AREAS OF PRACTICE

Rieders, Travis, Humphrey, Harris, Waters and Waffenschmidt serve a variety of litigation needs.

• Criminal Law - State and Federal Courts

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania criminal charges may be filed as summary offenses, misdemeanor offenses, or felony offenses, whenever a criminal charge is brought against you, you should take the matter seriously as you may be exposed to a monetary penalty (fine) or loss of your freedom by being sentenced to a period of incarceration either in the county prison or in the state prison system.

In addition to the possible penalties which may be imposed on you, there may be collateral consequences such as a suspension of your operating privileges, your commercial driver's license, and the loss of your abilities to possess firearms. Whenever you are charged with a criminal violation or if you are the subject of a criminal investigation and asked to agree to be interviewed, we recommend you confer with an attorney experienced in the handling of criminal cases. An experienced criminal defense attorney can explain to you the penalties to which you are exposed, can explain to you possible diversionary programs which will enable you to obtain a dismissal of the charges, and can also discuss with you whether actions taken by the police have resulted in any violation of your constitutional rights. If the police are requesting you agree to answer questions, an experienced criminal defense attorney is able to explain to you your rights and would also be available to accompany you to any interrogation session.

The attorneys in our firm who handle criminal defense work have extensive experience in defending criminal cases in both the state and federal systems. Our firm has handled and remains available to handle every type of criminal case from speeding tickets to first degree murder cases where the death penalty is being sought.

The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides you with an absolute right to confer with an attorney with respect to criminal matters. Although a consultation fee will be charged in criminal matters, we urge you to confer with an attorney if you are charged or are the focus of a criminal investigation.

Not all criminal attorneys practice in both state and federal court. If you are charged with a federal criminal offense or receive a "target" letter from the Office of the United States Attorney, you should make sure the attorney you confer with has experience in federal criminal defense work. Our office has been doing federal criminal defense work for almost 40 years and served as trial counsel for the only two federal death penalty cases tried in the Middle District of Pennsylvania.
If you are facing criminal charges in the state or federal system or are the subject of a criminal investigation in the state or federal system, feel free to contact our office for a conference with an experienced criminal defense attorney.