Attorney Practice Areas

Attorneys Dutko & Chwieko have successfully represented defendants in State and Federal Court. We have successfully represented defendants charged with:

• Criminal Homicide
• Drug Delivery Resulting in Death
• Assault and Strangulation
• Burglary
• Robbery
• Drug Offenses
• Firearm Offenses
• Theft
• Sex Crimes
• Election Fraud
• Credit Card Fraud
• Reckless Endangerment

Crimiinal charges are serious and require a serious defense. The sooner you hire an expierenced criminal defense attorney, the more likely your rights will be protected and the better chance for a favorable outcome.

Attorney Dutko is one of the few local attorneys that has worked as a police officer. That means you're getting defended by someone that has experience looking for impaired drivers and one that has arrested people for driving under the influence.

Attorney Chwiecko is a former DUI prosecutor in the Berks County District Attorney's Office.

New laws in Pennsylvania make DUI a felony in certain instances. If you are charged with a felony DUI you could face 7 years in jail and a $15, 000 fine.

Every DUI is different and should be discussed with an experienced DUI attorney. We have the experience you need when facing mandatory incarceration for a DUI.

Attorney Corey Chwiecko is a certified capital homicide attorney. This designation is reserved for those attorneys that meet educational and experiential criteria.  Few private criminal defense attorneys become death penalty certified. This designation means that Attorney Chwiecko has not only the experience you need if you've been charged with first-degree murder, where the prosecutor is seeking the death penalty, but also any major felony.

If you have been convicted in a captial case, you need a death penalty certified defense lawyer for an appeal.

If you've been charged with homicide and the Commonwealth is considering the death penalty, call Dutko & Chwiecko to see what Attorney Chwiecko can do for you. The consultation is free.

Dutko & Chwiecko are one of the areas top criminal appellate firms. We have vast experience with Post-Sentence Motions, Direct Appeals, and the Post-Conviction Relief Act.

The key to any appeal is timing. The law is very specific when an appeal must be filed. In most instances, failure to file a timely appeal prevents your appeal from being heard by a higher court.

A defendant's appellate rights begin immediately after sentencing. For instance, a defendant has 10-day to file a Post-Sentence Motion. A Post-Sentence Motion can include asking for reconsideration of the sentence, a judgement of acquital, or seek relief for denial of a motion to withdraw a guilty plea.

Defendants have 30-days after sentencing (when no Post-Sentence Motion is filed) or 30 days after the denial of a Post-Sentence Motion to file a Notice of Appeal. That Notice of Appeal sends the case to the Superior Court for review.

Last, a Post-Conviction Relief ("PCRA") petition must be filed within 1-year after the sentence becomes final. There are a limited number of exceptions, which allow filing after 1-year, but the general rule applies in most cases.

Attorney Dutko is an experienced civil rights attorney. Civil rights litigation includes federal suits for excessive force by police, misconduct by prison officials, or any deprivation of a civil right by a person acting under color of law state law. Civil right claims are often brought for violations of the First, Fourth, Fifth, Eighth, or Fourteenth Amendements. A claim of excessive force falls under the Fourth Amendment. These claims are brought under federal statute 42 U.S.C. § 1983, referred to as Section 1983.

To bring a sucessful claim under Section 1983, a plaintiff must show:

1. a person acting under state authority
2. deprived the plaintiff of a federally-protected right.

If you believe you've been a victim of a civil rights violation, Call Dutko & Chwiecko to discuss your case. The consultation is free and we don't collect our fee until your case is won.

Attorney Dutko represents clients in child custody cases in Berks and Schuylkill counties. For the past 10 years, Attorney Dutko has helped parents and grandparents get the custody they deserve. 

Parents that wait too long to file for custody can compromise their position. Having an experienced child custody attorney can make all the difference. Attorney Dutko specializes in difficult custody matters. 

Physical custody comes in different forms. Shared physical custody is where the child splits time between the parents. Primary physical custody is when one parents has more than 50% of the custodial time. Finally, sole legal custody is where one parent has all custodial time; even when the other parent has visitation.

If you're considering filing for custody or modifying a current order, call Dutko & Chwiecko today for a FREE CONSULTATION.