Full question:
My son plays ice hockey. Last night the entire team was in a fight on the ice. The police said he was being issued a cursory offense (fine). All he had to do was to pay the fine and it would go away. Have you ever heard of such a thing? My son plays ice hockey and last night he was in a fight on the ice with several other players and the police were called. They said they issued him a summary offense that he would be receiving in the mail and he would have to pay the fine and that there would be no record. Can you tell me if you have ever heard of anything like this and should I obtain a lawyer. If it goes away when he pays the fine that is the way I want to go, if not, I will hire a lawyer.
- Category: Criminal
- Subcategory: Expungement of Criminal Records
- Date:
- State: Pennsylvania
Answer:
A summary offense can result in a fine, and in some cases, paying the fine may lead to the dismissal of charges without a criminal record. However, there could still be records of the arrest or investigation.
In Pennsylvania, a new expungement law allows individuals convicted of a summary offense to have their conviction expunged after five years, provided they have not been arrested or prosecuted during that time (18 Pa.C.S.A. § 9122). A summary offense is less serious than a misdemeanor or felony and carries a maximum sentence of 90 days in jail (18 Pa.C.S.A. § 1105).
I recommend consulting with a local attorney to review the specifics of your son's case and to understand the implications of paying the fine. This will help you make an informed decision about whether to proceed with paying the fine or to hire a lawyer.
This content is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Legal statutes mentioned reflect the law at the time the content was written and may no longer be current. Always verify the latest version of the law before relying on it.