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.

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.

Dutko & Chwiecko offers a wide range of civil litigation services. We represent clients in the following civil practice areas:

• Personal Injury
• Motor Vehicle Accidents
• Slip & Falls
• Dragonetti claims

After a consultation, we may take your case on a contingency fee. That means, we don't get paid unless you win.

If you or a loved one has suffered an injury and believe its someone else fault, call Dutko & Chwiecko today for a FREE CONSULTATION. 

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.