Resisting Arrest

When you resist arrest, the police may become very angry or suspicious. This creates a situation with great potential for you to be treated unfairly by law enforcement. Additionally the police are very likely to add additional charges to those they initially were arresting you for. You will need a criminal defense attorney who can stand up for your rights and provide you with a strong and effective defense.

What You Need To Know About Resisting Arrest

Under Pennsylvania law, an individual commits the offense of resisting arrest when they intend to prevent a public servant from lawfully arresting them, and they create a substantial risk of injury to the person trying to arrest them, or uses means that would justify or require substantial force to overcome the resistance.

Resisting arrest is a misdemeanor of the second degree, which is punishable by up to two years in prison or fines up to $5,000.

What Your Lawyer Can Do

Your attorney will carefully review every aspect of your case to determine if there is evidence for all you have been accused of.

• Your lawyer will make every effort to discredit any evidence not in your favor.
• Much of what your lawyer can do to help you will depend on the exact circumstances of your case.
• If might not have tried to resist your arrest. If so, your lawyer will gather the evidence or witnesses to prove it.

Your lawyer will be looking at every avenue that can help you, so it’s important that you give them all of the information that can support your case.

How A PA Criminal Defense Attorney Will Help

When you are up against a resisting arrest charge, even before your first hearing you will be facing a determined prosecutor. You need an attorney who will stand by you every step of the way, work hard to discredit any evidence – and work with you to determine your best course of action.

Pennsylvania Resisting Arrest Law

Resisting arrest is described and defined under The Pennsylvania Criminal Code under Title 18, Chapter 51. Read the code here.