Category Archives: Criminal Defense
Are You the King (or Queen) of Your Castle?
Pennsylvania’s stand your ground law Ask many homeowners to describe their worst nightmare and you might be surprised to discover how many fear of being attacked by criminals in their own homes. This fear underlies Pennsylvania’s Castle Doctrine. It allows citizens to defend themselves with deadly force if they are threatened at home, or even […]
Save Your Confession for Church
Why you should never confess to a crime without a lawyer present Prosecutors love to try cases where the defendant has already confessed to the crime during a police interrogation. Often, a confession saves the prosecution the time and effort of having to prove its case beyond a reasonable doubt. Young people are especially vulnerable […]
Victims of Circumstance
Can you be convicted based solely on circumstantial evidence? Many people believe that if there are no eyewitnesses to a crime and no DNA evidence then there can be no finding of guilt. That belief is wrong. Circumstantial evidence can be enough to convict someone of a crime even if there is no direct evidence. […]
PA Putting Out the Red Flag for Hit and Run Drivers
Being involved in a car accident can be a traumatizing experience, both for an accident victim and the driver. Many drivers panic and seek to flee the scene. The law expects drivers to fight this urge and requires them to show the victim or a police officer at the scene their driver’s license and insurance […]
Six Tips to Help Your Loved Ones Safely Use the Internet
The recent arrest of ten men involved in child pornography in Berks County should be a warning for adults and children alike. For parents of young kids such news can be especially frightening. But minors are not only victims online. Sometimes minors can be perpetrators as well. Sharing photos of oneself or others, known as […]
New Megan’s Law Casts a Wider Net
A man interferes with his wife’s visitation rights, a teenage girl has sex with her younger boyfriend, and an amateur photographer takes pictures of young girls in the park. Will these people have to register under the new Megan’s Law that just went into effect in Pennsylvania? The answers can be frightening. The new law […]
Straight Shooting: Kids and Guns
Just like in the aftermath of the Amish school shooting in Lancaster County in 2006, kids and guns have been in the news a lot after the Newtown school massacre and for good reason. In 2011, minors under age 18 made up over one quarter of those arrested for illegal possession of weapons in Pennsylvania. […]
How Your Immigration Status Can Complicate Your Criminal Case
Many legal residents and undocumented immigrants do not understand the significant impact of their immigration status on their criminal case. Because certain criminal convictions can result in removal or exclusion from the U.S., criminal cases involving those with immigration issues must be handled differently than other types of cases. Some plea agreements that would be […]
Why a Private DUI Defense Attorney Can Make a Difference in Pennsylvania Cases
Many people charged with driving under the influence radically misjudge the need for a private DUI defense attorney. Anyone who watches crime dramas is familiar with the portion of the Miranda warning that advises of the right of indigent defendants to have an appointed attorney. It is important to understand that the right to an […]
Proposed New Legislation to Reduce Penalties for Teen Sexting
While vast improvements in communication technology offer many benefits, some of these innovations lead to new types of criminal violations. Many parents do not suspect that text messaging can result in their kids facing criminal charges, but prosecutors in Pennsylvania and around the country are becoming extremely aggressive about pursuing sexting activity as child pornography. […]
