Pender County NC Criminal Defense Attorney - Shoplifting Larceny 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.

Pender County is located in southeastern North Carolina and is part of the 5th judicial district, which is comprised of Pender County and New Hanover County. Pender County is bordered on the southeast by the Atlantic Ocean and to the south and west by New Hanover County, Brunswick County, Columbus County, and Bladen County and to the north and west by Sampson County and Duplin County, and to the northeast by Onslow County.  The judicial seat of Pender County is Burgaw, NC.  If you are charged with a crime or receive a traffic ticket such as a speeding ticket anywhere within Pender County, your court date will be in the Pender County courthouse unless the crime you are charged with is a federal crime.

Although we do not have an office located in Pender County, Collins Law Firm regularly represents people charged with crimes or traffic violations in Pender County.

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