Step-by-Step Process in a Lancaster Criminal Case
I've been handling criminal cases in the Lancaster courthouse for 26 years, so I have a pretty good feel for how these cases are handled. The current courthouse is a relatively new courthouse built within the last five years.
You should really sit down with your attorney to go over the steps, but I can give you a general outline. Obviously, if you need help because you have a criminal case in the Lancaster court, pick up the phone and make the call. I stand ready to help you. I can help you decide whether to fight or negotiate your criminal case.
Parking, Entering, and Checking in with Clerk
The courthouse opens at 8:00 a.m., so you want to get there early because it's a reasonably busy courthouse, although there is a lot of parking in the parking lot, and the parking is free, which is excellent. They don't charge some astronomical rate to park.
You're going to have to go through the metal detector, so obviously, don't bring anything that could be perceived as a weapon, including lighters.
Clear your pockets. Just get rid of everything except your I.D. and things that you feel you need—your telephone. Obviously, make sure you turn your telephone off. You don't want it to go off in court. They'll take it away from there, so I would get there early.
When you enter the Lancaster courthouse, there are some TV sets that have all the cases for that day in alphabetical order. So, if you don't know which courtroom your case is in, you can go to the TV set, find your name, and it will say which department your case is set for. Obviously, you want to go to the department.
A lot of departments, particularly in the Lancaster court, don't let people into the department until it's actually time to call your case. Also, on the fourth floor, more serious cases are held, so they have a second security checkpoint there. Just be careful that you don't have anything that can be perceived as a weapon, and you won't have any issues.
Arraignment and Bail
Could you check in with the court? Your case will be called and dealt with. Why it's so important to have an attorney because Lancaster Court is pretty conservative, and they have a lot of action going through there, so they don't tend to be helpful to anybody and will be harsh.
Sometimes, they'll raise your bail at the time of your arraignment. So, let's say you posted a $50,000 bail, and the prosecutor decides they want to raise it to $100,000, and they present justification for that to the judge.
The next thing you know, you're being taken into custody, and if you don't have your private attorney there to battle it out for you, a public defender is going to have to deal with it right there on the spot without having had the benefit that your private attorney would know all about the case going into the court date.
They'll find out about it on the fly, and a lot of times, that's too late for you. You've now been taken into custody, and you'll have to re-post additional bail, or you can stay there while the case is pending.
Lancaster Criminal Defense Lawyer
That's why it's so important to go in with your own private defense attorney if you have a case in the Lancaster courthouse. The courthouse tries to move cases quickly. Learn how long it takes to resolve a criminal case in the Lancaster Courthouse.
The reason for that is because there are a lot of cases there. After all, Lancaster Courthouse serves such a significant population and is one of the only courts located several miles away.
So, they have to ensure their court system is clogged up with cases so they can move them quickly. You want to hire an attorney to handle things to ensure you don't get swept up, taken advantage of, and end up in jail or prison or with other terms and conditions you don't deserve.
So, if you have a case in Lancaster court, you've come to the right place. Pick up the phone, make the call, and we'll get the ball moving in the right direction.
