Philadelphia Lawyer for Center City DUIs, Gun Crimes, Homicides, Sexual Assaults, and more
The Law Offices of M.J. Snyder, LLC is headquartered in the heart of Center City Philadelphia at 1500 Walnut Street, 7th Floor, which is just blocks from the Criminal Justice Center where Philadelphia criminal cases are heard. When you need a Philadelphia criminal defense lawyer who can be at your side immediately, our location and our commitment to 24/7 availability mean there is no faster path from arrest to aggressive legal representation.
Criminal defense attorney Marni Jo Snyder and her team defend Center City residents, workers, and visitors facing serious criminal charges including sexual assault, gun crimes, homicide, DUI, drug offenses, assault, and felony convictions. With thousands of cases tried in both state and federal courts, our firm has the courtroom experience and local knowledge required to fight for favorable outcomes.
For a free legal consultation with a Personal Injury lawyer serving Philadelphia, call 215.515.3360
Philadelphia Defense Attorney in Center City Located Steps from the Courtroom
Center City is the judicial heart of Philadelphia. The Criminal Justice Center at 1301 Filbert Street, Philadelphia City Hall, and the federal courthouses on Market Street are all located within this neighborhood. When you hire the Law Offices of M.J. Snyder as your Philadelphia defense attorney, you are choosing a firm that is physically embedded in the same blocks where your case will be heard.
This proximity matters in practical ways that directly affect your case:
- Immediate court appearances. When an emergency motion, bail hearing, or arraignment is scheduled on short notice, our attorneys are minutes away and not fighting traffic from a suburban office park.
- Familiarity with the judges and prosecutors. As a former Philadelphia Assistant Public Defender and law clerk to a criminal judge in Philadelphia’s Court of Common Pleas, attorney Marni Jo Snyder has longstanding working relationships with the judges, prosecutors, and court staff at the Criminal Justice Center.
- In-person meetings on your schedule. Our Center City office is accessible by SEPTA subway, bus, and Regional Rail lines, making it easy for clients across Philadelphia to meet with their attorney face-to-face.
For center city Philadelphia lawyers who combine courtroom proximity with trial-tested experience, the Law Offices of M.J. Snyder stands apart.
Personal Injury Lawyer 215.515.3360
Sexual Assault and Sex Crimes Defense in Center City
Center City’s dense population, active nightlife, and concentration of hotels and entertainment venues mean that sex crime allegations frequently originate in this neighborhood. Whether an accusation arises from a disputed encounter on a night out, a workplace allegation, or a historical claim, the consequences of a conviction are devastating, which can include years of imprisonment, mandatory registration under Megan’s Law, and permanent damage to your career and personal life.
As a criminal defense attorney in Philadelphia with extensive experience defending sex crime cases, attorney Marni Jo Snyder represents Center City clients facing charges including:
- Sexual assault – Intercourse or deviate intercourse without consent, classified as a second-degree felony under Pennsylvania law
- Rape – Sexual assault involving force, threat of force, or an incapacitated victim, classified as a first-degree felony
- Statutory rape – Intercourse with a minor under the age of consent
- Sexual misconduct – Charges involving indecent contact or exposure
- Sexual abuse – Allegations of sexual contact involving force, coercion, or authority
- Sex crimes – A broad category of offenses including solicitation, indecent assault, and internet-related charges
Our defense strategy in sex crime cases focuses on challenging the credibility of accusations, scrutinizing forensic evidence and digital records, investigating the timeline and circumstances of the alleged incident, and ensuring that law enforcement did not violate your rights during the investigation or arrest. We pursue every viable path when the facts allow it.
Gun Charge Defense for Center City Philadelphia
Philadelphia requires a License to Carry Firearms for both open and concealed carry, which is one of the strictest firearms policies in Pennsylvania. Center City sees a significant number of firearms arrests, many of which stem from traffic stops, foot patrols, and interactions near nightlife districts. If you are facing a gun charge in Philadelphia, the potential penalties are severe and a conviction can follow you for the rest of your life.
As a felony lawyer in Philadelphia, Marni Jo Snyder routinely challenges the constitutionality of stops and searches that lead to firearms arrests. Fourth Amendment violations including stops without reasonable suspicion, searches without probable cause, and improperly executed warrants, are common in Center City gun cases. When evidence is obtained illegally, our firm files motions to suppress that can lead to reduced charges or outright dismissal.
Lawyer for DUI Defense in Center City, Philadelphia
Center City’s concentration of restaurants, bars, and entertainment venues along corridors like Walnut Street, Broad Street, and South Street makes it one of Philadelphia’s highest-volume areas for DUI enforcement. Philadelphia Police regularly conduct sobriety checkpoints and targeted patrols in these areas, particularly on weekends and around major events.
A DUI conviction in Philadelphia carries escalating penalties based on your blood alcohol content and prior offenses, ranging from probation and fines for a first offense to mandatory jail time, license suspension, and ignition interlock requirements for repeat offenses. A DUI conviction can also have collateral consequences for Center City professionals, including damage to professional licenses, security clearances, and employment.
Our Philadelphia law firm defends Center City DUI cases by challenging the legality of the traffic stop, the accuracy of field sobriety tests, the calibration and administration of breathalyzer and blood tests, and the procedures followed during the arrest. Errors at any stage of a DUI stop can create grounds for suppression of evidence or dismissal of charges.
Protecting Your Career and Professional License After a Criminal Charge
Center City is Philadelphia’s business and professional hub and home to corporate headquarters, law firms, financial institutions, hospitals, and universities. For professionals working in Center City, a criminal charge carries consequences that extend far beyond the courtroom. Even an arrest can trigger disciplinary proceedings with licensing boards, jeopardize security clearances, violate employment agreements, and permanently damage a professional reputation built over decades.
Our criminal defense team in Center City understands these stakes. Attorney Snyder works to protect not only your freedom but your livelihood and pursuing outcomes that minimize collateral consequences, including dismissals, diversion programs, expungement-eligible resolutions, and reduced charges that avoid the most damaging impacts on your professional standing.
Contact a Criminal Defense Lawyer in Center City, Philadelphia Today
The Law Offices of M.J. Snyder, LLC is located at 1500 Walnut Street, 7th Floor, Philadelphia, PA 19102, is in the heart of Center City, just steps from Rittenhouse Square and minutes from the Criminal Justice Center. We serve clients throughout Center City and its surrounding neighborhoods, including Rittenhouse Square, Washington Square West, Logan Square, Chinatown, Old City, and Society Hill.
Whether you are facing a sexual assault allegation, a firearms charge, a homicide accusation, a DUI, or any other criminal matter, our team is ready to defend you. Call 215.515.3360 today for a free, confidential consultation with Philadelphia criminal defense lawyer Marni Jo Snyder, or submit your case online for a prompt response.
