In today’s world, it has become more and more common for grandparents to play a large role in the lives of their grandchildren. As such, it is also not uncommon for a scared grandchild who has been arrested to reach out to their grandparent before anyone else. In such a situation, a grandparent is likely to be scared and unsure of what to do to get their beloved grandchild out of jail quickly and help them resolve the charges against them in the most positive way possible. Many grandparents will realize that their grandchild needs a lawyer, but may be uncertain about whether they are permitted to hire the lawyer on their grandchild’s behalf. Below, our experienced criminal lawyers in Philadelphia at The Law Offices of Lloyd Long explain whether a grandparent can hire their grandchild’s criminal defense attorney and how our lawyers can help them get their charges downgraded or dismissed.
Is It Legal for a Grandparent to Hire Their Grandchild’s Criminal Defense Lawyer in Philadelphia?
It is perfectly legal for a grandparent to reach out to, hire, and pay for a Bucks County criminal defense lawyer to represent their grandchild in their criminal case. In fact, it is legal for anyone to do this for anyone else, whether you are related or not. However, one thing to note is that even if you are the one who hired and is paying for your grandchild’s criminal defense attorney, this does not make you privy to what is said in private conversations between your grandchild and the attorney. Attorney-client privilege still applies to their relationship even if the lawyer was hired by somebody else on their behalf.
How Can A Defense Lawyer Help My Adult Grandchild in Philadelphia?
If your grandchild is 18 or older, they will be charged in the adult criminal justice system. For some infractions or other minor charges like most traffic matters, the officer may simply issue your grandchild a ticket or citation with a court date on it and let them go on their way. In such a case, reach out to a skilled Philadelphia criminal defense attorneys at The Law Offices of Lloyd Long right away so we can try to work out a deal with the prosecutor to get the entire matter handled at the first appearance. In most cases, however, your grandchild will be arrested and held in custody at the police station or local detention center until their bail hearing and initial appearance, which will occur within 72 hours of their arrest at most, making it all the more important that you or another love one get in touch with us as quickly as possible.
Can a grandparent bail a grandchild out of jail in Philadelphia? At your grandchild’s bail hearing, the magistrate will make a decision about whether they must remain in jail until the case is resolved or if they can be released. If the magistrate allows release, they are likely to set bail. Our skilled bail hearing attorneys in Philadelphia at The Law Offices of Lloyd Long can fight to get you released on little to no bail by pointing to such factors as the nature and severity of your grandchild’s offense and their ties to the local community. Your grandchild’s arraignment, where they are asked to enter an initial plea of guilty or not guilty, sometimes occurs at the initial appearance and sometimes occurs later, depending on the charge. In either case, our experienced Philadelphia lawyers for a criminal arraignment are likely to advise your grandchild to plead not guilty while we collect all the evidence and try to work out a deal with the prosecutor for the charges to be downgraded or dismissed.
If your grandchild is a first-time offender, we may be able to convince the prosecutor to let them into a pre-trial diversion program, where their charges will be dropped if they complete it successfully. Other deals could include the prosecutor agreeing to recommend a lenient sentence or downgrading the charge to something less serious if your grandchild pleads guilty. Of course, we are always ready and able to fight for your grandchild’s innocence at trial if you and they do not wish to take a deal.
How Can a Defense Lawyer Help My Juvenile Grandchild in Philadelphia?
The juvenile justice system in Pennsylvania operates as an entirely separate entity from the regular justice system. As such, if your grandchild is under 18 years old, they will be taken to a separate juvenile holding facility if they are arrested. There is no bail or bail hearing in juvenile cases, but usually the juvenile intake unit will release the child fairly quickly to their parent or guardian. Only in very serious cases where the juvenile is charges with a high-level crime or there is reason to believe they might be a flight risk will the juvenile intake recommend they be held in the juvenile detention center. In such as case, reach out to an experienced Philadelphia juvenile defense attorney like those at The Law Offices of Lloyd Long, as we can challenge this decision at a hearing before a judge.
Much like in adult cases, we will work to try to come to a deal with the prosecutor for your grandchild’s charges to be downgraded or dismissed. Many prosecutors are open to pre-trial diversion in juvenile cases. If you and your grandchild wish to take the matter to trial, note that it will be a bench trial before a single judge, rather than a jury trial.
If Your Grandchild Has Been Arrested in Philadelphia, Contact Our Experienced Criminal Defense Lawyers
It is incredibly important that your grandchild who has been accused of a crime be represented by a skilled criminal defense attorney for Drexel students and other children in Philadelphia like those at The Law Offices of Lloyd Long. We will work to protect your grandchild’s rights, tell their side of the story, and get their charges downgraded or dismissed. Furthermore, we will treat your grandchild as a person going through an emotional experience, and not just as another file to be closed. For a free consultation, call our lawyers today at (800) 681-1295.