Hampstead NC Criminal Defense Attorney - Criminal Defense Lawyer

Anyone can be charged with a crime. Just because you are charged does not mean you are guilty. In fact, it is a fundamental principle in the United States, that everyone is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.  If you are charged with a crime, you should exercise your right to remain silent (which you always have—even before you are read your Miranda rights) and immediately obtain counsel.

Criminal charges, in addition to a sentence imposed by the court, can result in criminal records which can affect a person for their entire life. Therefore, it is very important that people who are charged take the matter seriously and take appropriate steps to avoid or mitigate the negative consequences of criminal charges. In some cases, it is possible to have criminal records expunged, which means the records are removed from the public records and destroyed by a process called expungement.

Even relatively minor charges like traffic tickets can affect one’s driving privileges, employment, and can cause expensive insurance premium increases. Many times these consequences can be avoided, and sometimes without the necessity of our clients appearing in court. North Carolina is one of the few states that has a disposition known as a Prayer for Judgment Continued or PJC. However, a PJC is not always the best result for all traffic matters. One should always consult an attorney experienced in traffic law if they received a traffic citation.

Hampstead, North Carolina is located in Pender County and is an unincorporated but fairly populated area located near the Intracoastal Waterway north of Wilmington, North Carolina.  Therefore, there are no Hampstead police officers but there are many other law enforcement agencies which have jurisdiction in Hampstead including North Carolina State Highway Patrol, Pender County Sheriff's Department, North Carolina ALE agents, Wildlife officers and the Marine Patrol.  If any law enforcement agency charges you with a crime or issues you a citation for a traffic violation, in or around Hampstead, your court date will be in Burgaw, North Carolina which is the county seat of Pender County.  Pender County is part of the 5th judicial district which also includes New Hanover County.  Because Pender County and New Hanover County comprise the same judicial district, which means that the same district attorney's office prosecutes cases in both counties and the district court judges which hold court in New Hanover County and Pender County rotate between the two counties.

While Collins Law Firm does not have an office in Hampstead, NC, attorney David Collins regularly practices in Pender County and therefore, if you have been charged with a crime or received a traffic citation in Hampstead, NC or anywhere within Pender County, Collins Law Firm can help.

The Pender County Courthouse is located at 100 South Wright St. Burgaw, NC 28425.