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Emergency Criminal Defense Lawyers in Erie, PA (2026)

21 criminal defense lawyers ranked by LFR ScoreUpdated 0 paid placements in this rankingHow we rank

8 of the 21 criminal defense lawyers on this list post 24/7 hours. 24/7 law firms come first, then same-day, each ranked by LFR Score with availability weighted higher.

If you or someone you know is arrested: you can stay silent and ask for a lawyer before answering questions. Calls from jail are usually recorded, so do not discuss the facts of the case on them.

The short answer

  1. 1

    #1 for emergency criminal defense in Erie: Sebald, Hackwelder & Knox, open 24/7.

Rankings can't be bought. Lawyers can't pay to change their rank or score. How we rank

Top emergency criminal defense lawyers in Erie at a glance

Ranked by our published LFR Score from public data, not by payment; a rank is not an endorsement or a prediction of results.

Top emergency criminal defense lawyers in Erie at a glance
RankBusinessLFR ScoreGoogle ratingBased inHours
1Sebald, Hackwelder & Knox744.7★ (233)ErieOpen 24 hrs (Google)
2Latouf Law Firm684.2★ (26)ErieOpen 24 hrs (Google)
3Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C.654.9★ (232)ErieOpen 24 hrs (Google)
4Attorney John B. Carlson654.9★ (202)ErieOpen 24 hrs (Google)
5The Travis Law Firm, P.C.644.8★ (140)ErieOpen 24 hrs (Google)
6MP2 Placidi & Parini614.8★ (39)ErieOpen 24 hrs (Google)
7Attorney Matthew Burns575.0★ (7)ErieOpen 24 hrs (Google)
8Burns Legal575.0★ (6)ErieOpen 24 hrs (Google)
9Chad J Vilushis Attorney605.0★ (11)Erie—
10Jeffrey D. Veitch, Esquire604.7★ (12)Erie—

Call an emergency criminal defense lawyer in Erie now

24-hour hours mean the firm lists itself as open around the clock on Google; that does not show its phone is answered. A lawyer may not be able to visit a jail or appear in court the same day: ask what they can do now and what it costs before you agree.

The 21 emergency criminal defense lawyers in Erie, ranked

24/7 first, then same-day service, then the rest. Each group is in LFR Score order on emergency weights.

Ranked by our published LFR Score from public data, not by payment; a rank is not an endorsement or a prediction of results.

  1. Ranked #1 in Erie

    #1 Sebald, Hackwelder & Knox

    Based in Erie

    74/100LFR Score

    Ranked #1 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.7★ from 233 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.

    • 4.7★ from 233 Google reviews
    • Open 24/7
    Hours
    Open 24 hours, 7 days
    Address
    137 E 13th St, Erie, PA 16503
    View profile for Sebald, Hackwelder & Knox(814) 480-0575

  2. #2 Latouf Law Firm

    Based in Erie

    68/100LFR Score

    Ranked #2 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.2★ from 26 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.

    • 4.2★ from 26 Google reviews
    • Open 24/7
    Hours
    Open 24 hours, 7 days
    Address
    2409 State St Ste A, Floor 2, Erie, PA 16503
    View profile for Latouf Law Firm(814) 454-4555

  6. #6 MP2 Placidi & Parini

    Based in Erie

    61/100LFR Score

    Ranked #6 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.8★ from 39 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Personal injury attorney”.

    Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.

    • 4.8★ from 39 Google reviews
    • Open 24/7
    Hours
    Open 24 hours, 7 days
    Address
    502 W 7th St, Erie, PA 16502
    View profile for MP2 Placidi & Parini(814) 452-2222

  7. #7 Attorney Matthew Burns

    Based in Erie

    57/100LFR Score

    Ranked #7 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 7 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Attorney”.

    Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.

    • 5.0★ from 7 Google reviews
    • Open 24/7
    Hours
    Open 24 hours, 7 days
    Address
    821 State St, Erie, PA 16501
    View profile for Attorney Matthew Burns(814) 449-9723

  8. Based in Erie

    57/100LFR Score

    Ranked #8 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 6 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Attorney”.

    Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.

    • 5.0★ from 6 Google reviews
    • Open 24/7
    Hours
    Open 24 hours, 7 days
    Address
    821 State St, Erie, PA 16501
    View profile for Burns Legal(814) 449-9723

  9. #9 Chad J Vilushis Attorney

    Based in Erie

    60/100LFR Score

    Ranked #9 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 11 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    Based on 6 of 9 factors; bar status, recency and availability not yet collected.

    • 5.0★ from 11 Google reviews
    Address
    1514 Liberty St, Erie, PA 16502
    View profile for Chad J Vilushis Attorney(814) 455-5362

  10. #10 Jeffrey D. Veitch, Esquire

    Based in Erie

    60/100LFR Score

    Ranked #10 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.7★ from 12 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    Based on 6 of 9 factors; bar status, recency and availability not yet collected.

    • 4.7★ from 12 Google reviews
    Address
    2525 W 26th St, Erie, PA 16506
    View profile for Jeffrey D. Veitch, Esquire

  11. #11 Schroeck & Associates

    Based in Erie

    58/100LFR Score

    Ranked #11 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.4★ from 7 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    Based on 6 of 9 factors; bar status, recency and availability not yet collected.

    • 4.4★ from 7 Google reviews
    Address
    117 W 7th St, Erie, PA 16501
    View profile for Schroeck & Associates(814) 459-8655

  12. #12 The Veitch Law Firm

    Based in Erie

    57/100LFR Score

    Ranked #12 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 5.0★ from 4 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    Based on 6 of 9 factors; bar status, recency and availability not yet collected.

    • 5.0★ from 4 Google reviews
    Address
    2525 W 26th St, Erie, PA 16506
    View profile for The Veitch Law Firm(814) 314-0051

  13. #13 Taylor Garrett A

    Based in Erie

    56/100LFR Score

    Ranked #13 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 1.0★ from 4 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    Based on 6 of 9 factors; bar status, recency and availability not yet collected.

    • 1.0★ from 4 Google reviews
    Address
    2525 W 26th St, Erie, PA 16506
    View profile for Taylor Garrett A(814) 806-1252

  14. #14 Panighetti Law

    Based in Erie

    54/100LFR Score

    Ranked #14 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.9★ from 134 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.

    • 4.9★ from 134 Google reviews
    Hours
    Mon–Fri 8 AM–5 PM · Sat–Sun closed
    Address
    3820 Liberty St Ste 203, Erie, PA 16509
    View profile for Panighetti Law(814) 806-6385

  17. #17 Attorney Dan Susi

    Based in Erie

    49/100LFR Score

    Ranked #17 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.1★ from 17 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Criminal justice attorney”.

    Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.

    • 4.1★ from 17 Google reviews
    Hours
    Mon–Fri 9 AM–5 PM · Sat–Sun closed
    Address
    714 Sassafras St, Erie, PA 16501
    View profile for Attorney Dan Susi(814) 454-3418

  20. #20 Hutzelman & Harmon

    Based in Erie

    38/100LFR Score

    Ranked #20 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 3.4★ from 13 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Bankruptcy attorney”.

    Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.

    • 3.4★ from 13 Google reviews
    Hours
    Mon–Fri 9 AM–5 PM · Sat–Sun closed
    Address
    333 State St, Erie, PA 16507
    View profile for Hutzelman & Harmon(814) 459-7754

  21. #21 Gallagher Luke P Atty

    Based in Conneaut, 28 mi away

    33/100LFR Score

    Ranked #21 because of its Google rating and practice area focus: 4.7★ from 12 Google reviews, listed on Google as “Family law attorney”.

    Based on 7 of 9 factors; bar status and recency not yet collected.

    • 4.7★ from 12 Google reviews
    Hours
    Mon–Sun 9 AM–5 PM
    Address
    354 Main St, Conneaut, OH 44030
    View profile for Gallagher Luke P Atty(440) 599-4400

How we ranked emergency criminal defense lawyers in Erie

Emergency lists move 10 points of the LFR Score from reputation to availability: 15% and 15%. Availability credits 24/7 hours, same-day service, weekend hours and weekly open hours. 24/7 criminal defense lawyers are listed first, then same-day, then the rest; ranks follow that order. Paid placement never changes a rank.

Paid placement never changes a rank or score. Attorney advertising businesses are paid, labelled, limited to 3 and shown above the ranking, outside it.

Read the full method: formula, sources and exclusions

LFR Score factors and weights
FactorWeightComputed from
Reputation15%Google star rating, adjusted for how many reviews back it
Bar status10%An active bar or law society record matched to a lawyer at the firm (not measured until a record source is loaded)
Review volume10%Number of Google reviews, compared with the most-reviewed firm on the list
Recency10%Share of reviews from the last 12 months
Availability15%Weekly office hours, Saturday, Sunday, and phones answered 24/7
Practice focus15%How clearly the firm practises this area (its Google category and name)
Proximity5%An office in the city scores highest, less the farther away it is
Claimed profile10%The firm has claimed its Law Firms Ranked profile (free and paid earn the same)
Law Firms Ranked reviews10%Verified client reviews collected by Law Firms Ranked: their rating and how many there are

Emergency criminal defense lawyers in Erie: questions

Which criminal defense lawyers in Erie are open 24/7?

8 on this list post 24/7 hours, including Sebald, Hackwelder & Knox, Latouf Law Firm, Purchase, George & Murphey, P.C., Attorney John B. Carlson and The Travis Law Firm, P.C..

Who is ranked #1 for emergency criminal defense in Erie, PA?

Sebald, Hackwelder & Knox is #1, with an LFR Score of 74 out of 100 on emergency weights.

How are emergency criminal defense lawyers in Erie ranked?

Emergency lists move 10 points of the LFR Score from reputation to availability: 15% and 15%. Availability credits 24/7 hours, same-day service, weekend hours and weekly open hours. 24/7 criminal defense lawyers are listed first, then same-day, then the rest; ranks follow that order. Paid placement never changes a rank.

What should I do before the criminal defense lawyer arrives?

If you or someone you know is arrested: you can stay silent and ask for a lawyer before answering questions. Calls from jail are usually recorded, so do not discuss the facts of the case on them.

How many emergency criminal defense lawyers here list a phone number?

20 of the 21 law firms ranked in full list a phone number. Tap Call to dial it.

Update log for Erie

  1. November 2026: LFR Scores recalculated for 21 criminal defense lawyers serving Erie.

More emergency and criminal defense pages