Posts in Criminal Defense
- Apr 11The Difference Between Theft and Embezzlement in PennsylvaniaRecently, the founder of Marauder Aquatic Club was accused with stealing nearly $40,000 from the aquatic club over a period o...VIEW ARTICLE
- Mar 25What is a Criminal Mistrial, and What Does It Mean for a Case?Recently, the case of a man accused of shooting a clerk in a Pennsylvania gas station in October of 2017 ende...VIEW ARTICLE
- Mar 19What Rights Do I Have if I’m Taken in For Questioning?The Sixth Amendment The Sometimes in an effort to close a case and get a conviction, law enforcement officials don’t alway...VIEW ARTICLE
- Feb 20Aggravated Assault on a Police Officerolice were called to the home of an Altoona, Pennsylvania man’s home to investigate alleged animal cruelty. Law enforcement found ...VIEW ARTICLE
- Feb 4Governor Tom Wolf Issues First Act of Clemency in Two YearsOn December 19, 2018, Governor Tom Wolf commuted a drug dealer’s life sentence. It was his first act of clemency i...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jan 31First Phase of Clean Slate Bill Goes into Effect in PennsylvaniaThere’s good news for Pennsylvanians! The Clean Slate bill that was signed into law by Governor Tom Wolf in June o...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jan 22What is Reasonable Doubt?Being The Case of Basil Brooks The case in question was that of Basil Brooks’, who was charged with killing Derric...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jan 4New Protest Laws Are Popping Up All Over the CountryWe are living in a new age of American protests. From Women’s Marches, Black Lives Matter, ANTIFA, and DAPL pipeline resistanc...VIEW ARTICLE
- Dec 25I Know That I Am Innocent; Do I Still Need an Attorney?There is an unfortunate misconception that if you are charged with a crime and you know that you are innocent, the...VIEW ARTICLE
- Dec 19Hereditary Genetic Testing and its Role in Criminal ProsecutionsDNA testing has allowed a breakthrough in 15 Million People Have Taken Hereditary Genetic Tests You may have heard about ancestr...VIEW ARTICLE
- Nov 13Does Pennsylvania Have a Stand Your Ground Law?Self Defense and Duty to Retreat Under 18 Pa. C.S.A § 505, it is No Duty to Retreat Under Stand You...VIEW ARTICLE
- Nov 1Theft by Deception, Unsworn Falsifying, and Official OppressionA seven-year veteran of the Philadelphia police force was recently arrested for his alleged part in falsifying Theft by Deception Thef...VIEW ARTICLE
- Oct 30NO, you shouldn’t give a statement to police!Upon learning of charges, an innocent person accused of a crime probably has a gut reaction to start talking, go i...VIEW ARTICLE
- Oct 23Offenses Against the American FlagWe are living in a time of extreme political tension, where protests and displays of free speech are commonplace. Flags hav...VIEW ARTICLE
- Oct 9Eyewitness IdentificationsWe’ve all seen it on TV or perhaps in real life: a witness testifies that the defendant is the person wh...VIEW ARTICLE
- Oct 2Felon Voting Rights in PennsylvaniaVoting is a sacred right in any democracy, and sadly six million Americans have had their right to vote taken awa...VIEW ARTICLE
- Sep 13Pennsylvania Police Misuse of Hate Crime LawAccording to the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), Pennsylvania police officers have been using our hate crime law to make arrest...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jul 17Charges Stemming from Paintball FightsIn Detroit, paintball enthusiasts began staging mini gun fights and drive-bys with paintball guns, instead of real guns. Proponents of thes...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jul 5Lawyer ConfidentialityLawyer confidentiality is one of the most sacred aspects of the lawyer-client relationship. According to the American Bar Association, attorneys ar...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jun 21Fighting Back Against False ArrestTwo African American Starbucks customers were arrested for nothing more than being in the store and being black. According to th...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jun 14Unlawful RestraintA Pennsylvania man was recently Unlawful Restraint: First Degree Misdemeanor or Second Degree Felony Depending on Age of Victim Titl...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jun 1TrespassingThere are many various types of criminal trespassing in Pennsylvania, each with a specific criminal penalty and set of punishments. I...VIEW ARTICLE
- May 18Pleading InsanityOne of the criteria for The Majority of those in the U.S. Prison and Jail Population have a Mental Health Disorde...VIEW ARTICLE
- May 2Is Proximity to a Crime Scene Probable Cause?A Philadelphia man was recently arrested for rape, battery, theft, and a half dozen other crimes, when he allegedly returned t...VIEW ARTICLE
- Mar 22Juvenile Court vs. Adult PunishmentIf your child is charged with a Crimes Charged as Adult Offenses According to 42 Pennsylvania C.S statute 6301, if ...VIEW ARTICLE
- Feb 19Identity TheftAs technology continues to expand, we share our private lives more and more online. This leaves the door wide open fo...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jan 18Figuring Out Arson Sentencing – What’s the Difference?Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines arson as: “[t]he willful or malicious burning of property (such as a building) especially with criminal or fraudulen...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jan 16The Crime of TheftThe crime of theft has both minimal and severe punishment and relies heavily on the value of the stolen property. Th...VIEW ARTICLE
- Dec 8Difference Between Simple Assault and Aggravated Assault in PennsylvaniaOne of the most common charges levied by Philadelphia police is assault. This is due to the extremely broad definition o...VIEW ARTICLE
- Nov 13Shoplifting is Much More than a Harmless OffenseShoplifting is a crime that is often seen as minor or harmless. Of course, this view changes tremendously when you ar...VIEW ARTICLE
- Sep 20The Problem with Eyewitness TestimonyA Philadelphia news station recently released footage of a Although perhaps increasingly rare with today’s technology, there are some instances i...VIEW ARTICLE
- Aug 18The Defense Never Rests … Even in Summary CasesThe most important qualities of a A Summary Offense is the lowest level offense under Pennsylvania Law. Proceedings are usually hel...VIEW ARTICLE
- Aug 17Lifting a Bench WarrantIn Pennsylvania, courts are permitted to order bench warrants when defendants miss important court dates. These documents essentially direct law enforcemen...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jul 31What Qualifies as a Terry Stop?Recently, the Pennsylvania Superior Court issued an opinion, in which it restated the rule regarding police stops. Despite this clarification, i...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jul 28Can the Police Search My Hotel Room?With a few exceptions, law enforcement officers are only permitted to search a person’s private home if they have a searc...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jul 6Pennsylvania Legislators Introduce Bill Aimed at Restoring Mandatory Minimum SentencingRecently, the House of Representatives passed House Bill 741, which proposes reinstating mandatory minimum sentences for specific crimes in Pennsylvania. Th...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jun 30When Are You Entitled to Receive Miranda Warnings?Miranda warnings play an extremely important role in protecting those who are suspected of committing a crime from having their word...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jun 8Possessing an Instrument of a CrimeAlthough possessing an instrument of a crime is usually charged as a misdemeanor, it is one of the more serious lowe...VIEW ARTICLE
- May 18When Can the Police Search My Car and Its Contents?It is a well-established legal principle that law enforcement officers are permitted to search a person’s car without a warrant. However...VIEW ARTICLE
- May 11Pennsylvania Court Requires Police to Corroborate Testimony of Confidential InformantsLaw enforcement officers often rely on tips from confidential informants in order to obtain search warrants. Unfortunately, even when a cas...VIEW ARTICLE
- Mar 30Disorderly ConductIn Pennsylvania, even less serious criminal offenses can have far-reaching consequences. For instance, being involved in a minor fight can lea...VIEW ARTICLE
- Feb 23New Law Redefines Criminal AssaultIn October, Governor Wolf signed a new bill into law that makes non-lethal choking a form of assault. Prior to th...VIEW ARTICLE
- Feb 9Plea BargainsCriminal trials can be emotionally and financially grueling. For this reason, some defendants choose to accept plea bargains offered by prosecutor...VIEW ARTICLE
- Feb 2New Law May Increase Use of Body Cameras in PennsylvaniaIn October, the Pennsylvania Senate passed a bill that if passed, would enable more expansive use of police body cameras, whil...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jan 24Pennsylvania Sexting LawsIn many ways, smart phones have significantly simplified our lives. For instance, it has become standard practice to check email, pa...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jan 17New Law Would Allow for the Collection of DNA From Convicted OffendersIn October, Pennsylvania’s Appropriations Committee amended and re-reported a bill that was originally introduced in March 2015. If passed, Senate Bil...VIEW ARTICLE
- Jan 12Plans for Criminal Justice Reform AnnouncedJosh Shapiro, a candidate for the position of attorney general and currently chairman of the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquenc...VIEW ARTICLE
- Dec 7Filing an Appeal in PennsylvaniaIn Pennsylvania, people who have been convicted of a crime and can establish that they did not receive a fair trial...VIEW ARTICLE
The Difference Between Theft and Embezzlement in Pennsylvania
What is a Criminal Mistrial, and What Does It Mean for a Case?
What Rights Do I Have if I’m Taken in For Questioning?
Aggravated Assault on a Police Officer
Governor Tom Wolf Issues First Act of Clemency in Two Years
First Phase of Clean Slate Bill Goes into Effect in Pennsylvania
What is Reasonable Doubt?
New Protest Laws Are Popping Up All Over the Country
I Know That I Am Innocent; Do I Still Need an Attorney?
Hereditary Genetic Testing and its Role in Criminal Prosecutions
Does Pennsylvania Have a Stand Your Ground Law?
Theft by Deception, Unsworn Falsifying, and Official Oppression
NO, you shouldn’t give a statement to police!
Offenses Against the American Flag
Eyewitness Identifications
Felon Voting Rights in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Police Misuse of Hate Crime Law
Charges Stemming from Paintball Fights
Lawyer Confidentiality
Fighting Back Against False Arrest
Unlawful Restraint
Trespassing
Pleading Insanity
Is Proximity to a Crime Scene Probable Cause?
Juvenile Court vs. Adult Punishment
Identity Theft
Figuring Out Arson Sentencing – What’s the Difference?
The Crime of Theft
Difference Between Simple Assault and Aggravated Assault in Pennsylvania
Shoplifting is Much More than a Harmless Offense
The Problem with Eyewitness Testimony
The Defense Never Rests … Even in Summary Cases
Lifting a Bench Warrant
What Qualifies as a Terry Stop?
Can the Police Search My Hotel Room?
Pennsylvania Legislators Introduce Bill Aimed at Restoring Mandatory Minimum Sentencing
When Are You Entitled to Receive Miranda Warnings?
Possessing an Instrument of a Crime
When Can the Police Search My Car and Its Contents?
Pennsylvania Court Requires Police to Corroborate Testimony of Confidential Informants
Disorderly Conduct
New Law Redefines Criminal Assault
Plea Bargains
New Law May Increase Use of Body Cameras in Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Sexting Laws
New Law Would Allow for the Collection of DNA From Convicted Offenders
Plans for Criminal Justice Reform Announced
Filing an Appeal in Pennsylvania