The typical steps in a criminal proceeding of Pennsylvania, to explain briefly, would be an investigation which a defendant may or may not be aware of. Charges would be filed, a person would be arrested or could surrender. There would be a preliminary arraignment where they would set bail. Depends on where the matter takes place, the Pennsylvania counties work differently than how Philadelphia addresses criminal proceedings. There would be say a preliminary hearing depending on the nature of the case, if it's a misdemeanor, if it involves misdemeanors felonies, or say a summary offense, but there'll be a preliminary hearing.
If charges were to be held for court, the case would proceed to a formal arraignment, which would then take the case to the Court of Common Pleas. There would be pre-trial conferences scheduled, which would lead to either a trial before a judge or a jury or a non-trial disposition, such as a plea agreement, and then there's always the potential for appeal. That's the criminal process in Pennsylvania. As a general overview, having an experienced Pennsylvania criminal defense attorney in your corner, from as early as possible in the process, will help best protect your rights and defend against the charges.
