Many jobs and professions require people have licenses or certifications to work. Often, these professional licenses come with strings attached, and things like criminal convictions might jeopardize your license.
What happens to your professional license after a criminal conviction depends on what kind of license you have. Some licenses are unaffected by a conviction, but others might be suspended or revoked. People who work in highly sensitive fields like medicine and law, or those authorized to work with children, are more likely to face serious penalties against their professional licenses. Having your license reinstated might be possible, depending on your license and the regulations in your field of work. Our Philadelphia drug possession defense lawyers can help you fight criminal charges, hopefully, avoid a conviction, and help you keep your license.
Criminal convictions can have bad ripple effects across your entire life, and your professional licenses might be in jeopardy. Our Philadelphia criminal defense lawyers can help you fight your charges and hopefully keep your license. For a free case assessment, call The Law Offices of Lloyd Long at (215) 302-0171.
What Happens to My Professional License if I am Convicted of a Crime in Pennsylvania?
People rely on having professional licenses to work in certain fields and do certain jobs. Some licenses are very difficult to obtain and require years of education and training. The fields requiring professional licensing are often sensitive areas, and license holders must be trustworthy. Our Delaware County criminal defense lawyers can help you determine if your professional license is at stake and how to fight the charges.
If you have a medical license, a criminal conviction could put your license in jeopardy. Charges related to drugs or alcohol, like DUIs or possession charges, may lead to a suspension or revocation of your license. Doctors, nurses, and other medical professionals must have a clear mind at work. Convictions that might indicate a dependency or problem with controlled substances or alcohol are red flags, and they might cost you your medical license.
Certified public accountants (CPAs) also rely on professional licenses to do their jobs. While we often think of accounting jobs as mundane, they are highly sensitive work areas. CPAs must be trustworthy because they work with other people’s money on a daily basis. A fraud conviction might cost you your license and your job. Even if you get your license back, your professional reputation might be tarnished.
Another very important professional license is a license to practice law. Law licenses often have serious restrictions regarding convictions. Since attorneys and lawyers work with the law, violations of the law are unacceptable. A criminal conviction could lead to a suspension of your law license or revocation, and you can no longer practice law.
Can I Get My License Back After a Criminal Conviction in Pennsylvania?
It might be possible to get your professional license reinstated after a criminal conviction, but this varies between licenses. Some licensing authorities allow defendants the opportunity for a second chance, and if certain conditions are met, their license might be reinstated. Other licensing authorities have strict policies against criminal convictions, and your license might be taken away forever.
Whether or not you can have your license reinstated after a conviction often depends on the severity of the charges. For example, someone convicted of simple drug possession might have their license suspended or revoked, but they might be able to get their license back if they maintain a clean record and prove they can be trusted. More serious offenses, such as violent felonies, might lead to permanent license revocations.
Whether or not you can get your license back depends on many factors that are decided by the licensing authority in your field. The best way to avoid losing your license is to hire a skilled attorney to fight your criminal charges with you. Our Bucks County criminal defense attorneys are prepared to help you challenge the case against you and help you maintain your professional license.
Fighting Criminal Charges to Keep Your Professional License in Pennsylvania
It cannot be stressed enough that the best way to hang on to your professional license is to fight your charges and avoid a criminal conviction. How our Northeast Philadelphia criminal defense lawyers help you do this depends on the nature of your charges and the evidence in your case.
First, we can begin challenging the evidence against you before the trial even begins. Pretrial motions to suppress and exclude evidence are normal parts of most criminal trials. Essentially, if we believe that the prosecutor plans to use evidence seized illegally or does not meet the state or court’s strict evidentiary rules, we can file a motion asking the judge to keep the evidence out. Suppressed evidence is excluded from trial, and jurors may not hear even the slightest mention of the tainted evidence.
In some cases, prosecutors do not have much evidence to work with. This is especially so if we can successfully exclude numerous pieces of evidence illegally seized or otherwise inadmissible. In such a case, we can file a motion to dismiss the case due to a lack of evidence. The judge might agree that the prosecutor simply cannot meet their evidentiary burden, and they might dismiss the case.
Sometimes, it might not be possible to get charges dropped or dismissed. In such cases, we might have to negotiate plea agreements with prosecutors. In a plea agreement, the defendant agrees to plead guilty, and the prosecutor agrees to reduce the charges. Typically, defendants end up pleading guilty to lesser offenses. If a conviction of a lesser offense would not impact your professional license, a plea agreement might be a good option in your case.
Call Our Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Lawyers for a Free Case Review
Facing criminal charges is hard enough without putting your professional license in jeopardy. Our Montgomery County criminal defense attorneys can help you fight the charges and hopefully keep your license and your job. For a free case review, call The Law Offices of Lloyd Long at (215) 302-0171.