Pittsburgh Criminal Defense Lawyer

Pittsburgh Criminal Defense Attorney

Being charged with a crime can disrupt your entire life. Even relatively minor criminal charges can still leave you with fines and court fees. In more serious situations, you may be facing imprisonment or steep fines ranging in the thousands. You may suffer irreparable damage to your reputation. Simply put, the consequences can be grave. A Pittsburgh criminal defense lawyer, however, can help place you in a favorable position.

Louis W. Emmi Attorney at Law has over three decades of experience providing clients in Pittsburgh and across western Pennsylvania with tough, aggressive representation in criminal matters. We have the trial experience necessary to push through all aspects of your case. Our history of results reflects this: We have achieved reductions, dismissals and acquittals in serious cases, including murder. Whatever the situation, we are ready to defend your rights.

Serious Allegations Deserve Serious Representation

Our firm handles all charges, whether they stem from misdemeanors or felonies. In all situations, we take the same approach: We thoroughly investigate the charges against you and work to prepare a comprehensive legal strategy given our discoveries and our experience.

As a seasoned trial attorney, Louis W. Emmi has argued countless cases before a jury and is eager to prove your innocence in court. However, that may not always be the best approach, so we strive to make informed decisions given the circumstances before us.

In particular, we have assisted clients facing a variety of criminal charges, including those stemming from:

• Driving under the influence (DUI) and other alcohol-related crimes
• Drug crimes and other charges stemming from narcotics
• Theft, robbery and burglary
• Assault, battery and other crimes against persons
• Murder and homicide
• Weapons offenses, including those involving a felon in possession of a firearm
• White collar crimes, including fraud and embezzlement

How a Criminal Charge Can Affect Your Life

If you are convicted of a criminal charge in Pittsburgh, it can have a dramatic impact on your life. Whether you were convicted of embezzlement at your job at Carnegie Mellon University, or you were charged with assault due to a misunderstanding in Schenley Park, even if you did not actually commit the crime, a conviction can ruin your life in one or more of the following ways:

• Housing. When a property owner or landlord goes to sign a lease, they will likely first conduct a background check. If you have been convicted of a crime, this can be a problem, as your conviction will show up on the background check. If the crime is a lower-level offense, it might not sway the opinion of the landlord. However, if your conviction is for a more serious crime, like a felony, it may be difficult to secure housing.
• Employment. Like housing, potential employers will likely conduct a background check before hiring you. Individuals reentering society following a prison sentence face a 30% unemployment rate across the country. Depending on the nature of your conviction and the crime involved, your job prospects may be negatively impacted.
• Personal relationships. If you are convicted of a crime, there is a particular social stigma that can harm your personal relationships. Even if you are convicted of a minor offense, friends and family members may try to distance themselves from your life, and it can become increasingly difficult to build new relationships after a conviction.
• Civil rights. When you are convicted of a crime in Pennsylvania, depending on the nature of that crime, you may lose certain civil rights. These include your right to purchase, bear, or own firearms, and your right to vote in any elections.
• Loss of driver’s license. For certain convictions, you may also lose your ability to drive due to having your driver’s license suspended or revoked. This can make it nearly impossible to find new employment and place a strain on your personal relationships.

Defending You Against a Criminal Charge

At the offices of Louis W. Emmi Attorney at Law, we take your defense seriously and can work to have your charges reduced or even dropped. Over 90% of felony cases are resolved without the need for a court trial, and that is all thanks to the stalwart defense of a criminal lawyer. Common defenses used in criminal cases include:

• Acting in self-defense or in the defense of others.
• Acting under duress, or under the threat of physical harm or death.
• Suffering a mental illness at the time the crime was committed or claiming insanity.
• Suffering entrapment by law enforcement.
• Having an alibi for the location and time when the crime was allegedly committed.
• Suffering from a mistaken identity.
• Suffering a violation of your constitutional rights while you were being arrested or were in the custody of police.

At Louis W. Emmi Attorney at Law, we are here to review your situation, identify any weaknesses in the prosecution’s alleged evidence, and ultimately determine which avenue of defense addresses the circumstances of your case. You can trust our team to do whatever it takes to ensure you are defended against criminal charges in Pittsburgh.

Hire a Criminal Defense Lawyer and Receive Open and Honest Communication

We pride ourselves on maintaining open and consistent communication with our clients. Whether we meet at our office or engage in a Zoom or FaceTime meeting, when necessary, we like to be face to face with our clients as we explain the process and examine our options. We believe that good communication can place us in more favorable positions in the long run.

To hire a criminal defense lawyer, learn more about our firm or the services we provide, or to schedule your free consultation, call our Pittsburgh office at 412-341-8477 or use our online contact form.

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