What is the name of your state? PA
Now, please don't think of me as ignorant when I ask this, as I've never been involved with the law. Ever ever ever. My halo is still intact, I swear.
I was involved in a minor fisticuffs that involved me striking someone in the face with an open hand. I had sufficient reason for doing so, but left the scene of the incident and contacted the police as soon as I arrived home (I have a panic disorder, and obviously severely needed the anti-anxiety medication).
The arresting officer (who, in fact, never "booked" me or took me to the polic station, I went on my own volition several days after the fact) initially was going to charge me with simple assault, then instead charged me with misdemeanor disorderly conduct. The processing officer, who obviously knew what he was charging me with, told me that I would not have to go to court unless I chose to plead guilty to the offense.
Imagine my surprise and outrage, then, when I receive a court date notice.
This is my first offense. Now, my understanding may be incorrect, but I thought that if you were charged with disorderly conduct and had no prior criminal record, that you would receive a summary offense and not a misdemeanor offense.
My appointment with the public defender is this Thursday. The hearing is on June 15. I would like to argue this charge from a misdemeanor down to a summary offense, especially considering my prior background and the fact that I'm petitioning a foreigner (my husband is from Brazil, and we're waiting on his paperwork to come through). I'm a former candy-striper, former volunteer with animal rescue groups, on the board of directors for an reptile rescue, and have literally never done anything wrong in my life. Never even gotten a citation for a moving violation. I'm a starving college student who works her ass off, and made the poor decision to stand up to a bully. I mean, hell, I'm 23 years old and had to deal with bullying throughout grade school and intermediate school -- can't I have the courtesy of not having to deal with it *now*? But that's rhetorical, and I digress.
How can I plead this down to a summary offense?
Any help would be greatly appreciated, and it may even make me quit the smoking I started again, after quitting for over a year, after I received the court date notice.
Now, please don't think of me as ignorant when I ask this, as I've never been involved with the law. Ever ever ever. My halo is still intact, I swear.
I was involved in a minor fisticuffs that involved me striking someone in the face with an open hand. I had sufficient reason for doing so, but left the scene of the incident and contacted the police as soon as I arrived home (I have a panic disorder, and obviously severely needed the anti-anxiety medication).
The arresting officer (who, in fact, never "booked" me or took me to the polic station, I went on my own volition several days after the fact) initially was going to charge me with simple assault, then instead charged me with misdemeanor disorderly conduct. The processing officer, who obviously knew what he was charging me with, told me that I would not have to go to court unless I chose to plead guilty to the offense.
Imagine my surprise and outrage, then, when I receive a court date notice.
This is my first offense. Now, my understanding may be incorrect, but I thought that if you were charged with disorderly conduct and had no prior criminal record, that you would receive a summary offense and not a misdemeanor offense.
My appointment with the public defender is this Thursday. The hearing is on June 15. I would like to argue this charge from a misdemeanor down to a summary offense, especially considering my prior background and the fact that I'm petitioning a foreigner (my husband is from Brazil, and we're waiting on his paperwork to come through). I'm a former candy-striper, former volunteer with animal rescue groups, on the board of directors for an reptile rescue, and have literally never done anything wrong in my life. Never even gotten a citation for a moving violation. I'm a starving college student who works her ass off, and made the poor decision to stand up to a bully. I mean, hell, I'm 23 years old and had to deal with bullying throughout grade school and intermediate school -- can't I have the courtesy of not having to deal with it *now*? But that's rhetorical, and I digress.
How can I plead this down to a summary offense?
Any help would be greatly appreciated, and it may even make me quit the smoking I started again, after quitting for over a year, after I received the court date notice.