Here at Ciccarelli Law Offices we strive to zealously represent our clients through all levels of the criminal process, Pre-trial, Trial, and Post-Conviction. We consistently represent our clients throughout the various courses of the Legal field, including Probation Violations. Recently, our criminal defense team represented a Chester County resident facing 22 months of jail time from probation violations stemming from a… READ MORE

You do not need to be an attorney to know that one of the rules of negotiation is to not jump at the first offer that is made. That is often the case in criminal law, but it also important for a criminal defense lawyer to understand his case, how strong the Commonwealth’s evidence is and what his or her client… READ MORE

It is a question that I hear almost every day. I get a call from a parent who has received notice that their son has been charged with underage drinking or a client who is facing felony charges of theft and embezzlement and who has already admitted to her employer that she stole money from the business. The question is:… READ MORE

It has been a long and controversial few years for the District Magisterial Judges (District Magistrates) in Chester County PA.  The district magistrates are an important part of the Chester County Judicial system, not only for small claims court, landlord-tenant court and traffic court, but also as the “gate keepers” of misdemeanor and felony charges. District Magistrates responsibilities include but… READ MORE

The moment that you receive that notice letter from the Chester County Juvenile Probation Department, located at the Chester County Justice Center at 201 W. Market St. in West Chester Pennsylvania, questions start racing through your mind. First, why would you be getting a letter from the Chester County juvenile probation office?  If you have a child under the age… READ MORE

Chester county criminal defense attorney comments on recent US Supreme Court decision enhancing the government’s power to obtain DNA samples. In June 2013 the US Supreme Court ruled that the police may take DNA samples from people arrested in connection with serious crimes. This is a significant development, extending the governments reach beyond prior rulings which allowed the collection of… READ MORE

Do I really need an attorney?  This is a question that has dogged people for as long as there has been lawyers. For many of us, the notion of being summoned to court or to be accused of a crime is both foreign and fearful.  Those that question for the need for the lawyer because they have nothing to hide… READ MORE

The beginning of fall and the start of college lends itself to a spike in the filing of citations for possession, purchase, transportation or consumption of alcohol by a minor. In Pennsylvania, this summary level offense of underage drinking places a prohibition upon minors and adults under the age of twenty-one (21). Though it is not a criminal misdemeanor or felony, a… READ MORE

The debate on the legality of marijuana in Pennsylvania rages on.  As local prosecutors such as the Chester County District Attorney’s office keep the pressure on individuals who use illegal controlled substances such as marijuana in our local communities, bipartisan support is growing in the Pennsylvania state capital for legalizing a form of medical marijuana. In the past month, two… READ MORE

In the ongoing fight to protect individual rights against government intrusion the pro government, pro-corporation controlled U.S Supreme Court continues to undermine the protection of Miranda rights. Even school children are familiar with the expansion of civil rights back in 1966 with the United States Supreme Court’s decision in Miranda vs. Arizona.  It was in that ruling that redirected police… READ MORE