When parents send a child off to college, it may feel like proof of successful parenting. They've raised a child for 18 years who is on track to getting a college degree and entering the workforce.

Finding out that their college student has been arrested or charged with a crime can be an unwelcome return to reality. An arrest or conviction might not only impact a student's education or result in disciplinary action from their university but also negatively impact their future and limit their career options.

For families shouldering tuition and related costs, opting for self-representation or accepting a plea deal may seem like the best options for putting the situation in the past. Choosing these options may undercut your college student's future or lead to unintended consequences down the road.

The LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team works with people throughout Pennsylvania to navigate the criminal justice system and minimize the fallout that charges can have on their future. Your student is just beginning their adult life. Don't let criminal charges permanently derail their goals. Contact us at 888-535-3686 or on our website.

Affording College

News outlets recently reported on a first-of-its-kind study. Focused exclusively on Pennsylvania college students, the study found that over half of college students worry about the cost of textbooks and related class materials. Over one-third sometimes skip purchasing course materials due to cost.

Even for middle-class families, college costs eat into a significant chunk of their budget. Attending a four-year private school can cost upwards of $200,000 without student aid.

College, after all, isn't just about tuition. There are room and board costs, material fees, extracurricular fees, and the costs that can be associated with networking and building a career. Even when an internship provides a stipend or wage, it often isn't enough to cover living costs. For students who require cars for school and/or work, that can add another several hundred dollars to the pile.

The unexpected expense of criminal charges may, for many parents, feel like the straw that broke the camel's back. But it's exactly because of the financial commitment college requires that proactive defense against these charges is so important.

Protect Your Student's Future

When college students face criminal charges, families may want to quickly handle the matter and move on. They may incorrectly view marijuana possession or similar charges as unimportant, especially with increasing decriminalization. Or they may think, given how much money they're already spending on their student's education, that they can handle the case without a lawyer.

For parents, anger and disappointment are to be expected. You've worked hard to give your child every possible advantage, and criminal charges can feel like someone knocked over all of your work and all of your child's plans and goals.

You and your student may need to revise those plans, but criminal charges do not have to be the end of your child's goals or limit their future. The LLF Law Firm Criminal Defense Team helps our clients navigate the criminal process and understand their options and how to take control of the process. Contact us at 888-535-3686 or on our website to tell us more about your student's case.