Author Archives: David R. Eshelman
Pennsylvania Governor Signs Executive Order Aimed at Reducing Gun Violence
In the wake of a highly publicized shootout involving police officers in Philadelphia, Governor Tom Wolf signed an executive order aimed at reducing gun violence in the state. There are five primary components of this order, which is the first of its kind in the United States at any level of government. Those components are […]
Reading Sees Drop in Crime in First Quarter 2019
There’s good news from the Reading Police Department: the city saw a reduction in crime in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the first quarter of 2018. It was a 28 percent decline, marking a fairly significant improvement over the first several months of last year. Police officials praised the work of their officers […]
What Happens if You Do Not Show Up to a Court Date?
If you are charged with a crime or issued a citation, you may be required to attend a court appearance at least once. But what happens if you fail to attend your court date? Below are just a few examples of the potential actions the court may take against you in such a scenario: Bench […]
What are Your Miranda Rights?
When police officers make an arrest, they are required to read you your Miranda rights. The exact verbiage is as follows: “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in a court of law. You have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford an […]
Important Tips for Dealing with Police Questioning
At some point, you may find yourself being questioned by law enforcement officers, such as local or state police, agents from the FBI or Department of Homeland Security or others. If this happens, it is important to know how best to deal with these questions and to understand your rights and responsibilities. Keep the following […]
Key Elements of an Evidence Tampering Charge
Tampering with evidence involves a person destroying, concealing or otherwise altering evidence related to a crime with the specific intent to influence the outcome of a criminal investigation or court proceeding. It may be any type of physical evidence, so long as there is a clear intent to interfere with an investigation. To defend against […]
What Happens if You’re Wrongly Arrested for Shoplifting?
It is fairly common for stores or malls to have private security guards on hand to watch for shoplifters and to handle any other issues that might arise with customers. Because these individuals are not police officers, they may be more prone to mistakes than trained law enforcement officers would be. What do you do […]
What to Know About Juvenile Vandalism Charges
Vandalism is one of the more common crimes that comes up in juvenile court. It’s often an act of rebellion. However, vandalism can lead to destruction of property and expensive cleanup and repairs, which means courts will take the crime seriously. How do courts handle vandalism by teens? Vandalism is defined as the intentional damage […]
