Surf City 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.

Surf City is a beach town in Pender County just north of Topsail Beach, NC.  The northern portion of Surf City, NC is located in Onslow County.  However, the bulk of Surf City is in Pender County.

If you receive a traffic citation such as a speeding ticket or are charged with a crime in Surf City in the Pender County portion, your court date will be in Burgaw, North Carolina in the Pender County courts.  Pender County and New Hanover County make up the 5th judicial district which means they share the same judges and prosecutors.

Collins Law Firm is located in Wilmington, North Carolina, and does not have an office in Surf City, NC.  However, attorney David Collins regularly represents people charged with traffic citations and crimes in Surf City, NC when they have their court appearance in the Pender County courts located in Burgaw, North Carolina.

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