Tag Archives: criminal defense
Recent Homicides by Pennsylvania Parolees Could Lead to Systemic Changes
Over the first half of the summer, six homicides were allegedly committed by five different parolees in the state of Pennsylvania. Victims included a police officer and a pair of children. Now, law enforcement and state officials are investigating whether changes to the state’s parole system are needed. County prosecutors and the state corrections officers’ […]
What is the Crime of ‘Disturbing the Peace?’
Disturbing the peace is a crime also known as “disorderly conduct” or “breach of the peace.” It involves a person acting in such a way that disrupts the public or undoes a community’s tranquility. This encompasses a wide range of specific crimes, and law enforcement officers have considerable latitude to classify crimes as “disturbing the […]
Pennsylvania Official Claims Civil Complaints Were Misclassified for Years
According to a Pennsylvania state official, a judge in the state frequently misclassified civil complaints about unpaid bills as thefts. This occurred over the course of years, resulting in hundreds of people allegedly having criminal records they did not earn. The judge in question is former District Judge Brenda Williams Nichols, who allegedly misclassified these […]
What Does the Law Say About Juvenile Weapons Possession?
Every state in the nation has its own set of limitations with regard to the right to purchase, own and possess weapons. There are particularly strong limitations with regard to juvenile weapons possession. In some cases, juvenile who illegally possesses weapons may be charged and tried as an adult. Below are some issues to consider […]
Pennsylvania Governor Celebrates Anniversary of Clean Slate Law
Earlier this summer, Governor Tom Wolf celebrated the one-year anniversary of Pennsylvania’s Clean Slate Law. With the occasion, the automatic sealing of some criminal records written into the legislation went into effect. Pennsylvania becomes the very first state to automatically seal certain eligible criminal records so that they do not affect a person’s chance for […]
Debate Continues Over Proper Usage of License Plate Readers in Pennsylvania
Local police departments across Pennsylvania use a special type of camera that automatically reads license plates. They have been a well-received tool in the world of law enforcement, but some elected officials believe additional regulation is necessary to ensure the data captured by these tools is not compromised. There are currently no state regulations for […]
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 […]
Do Police Need Warrants to Extract Evidence from Social Media Profiles?
People are putting information about themselves and their lives on the internet more than ever, thanks to the explosion of social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. If you are not careful with your privacy settings, you might find that content you thought you were just sharing with friends and family is actually available […]
Private Attorneys vs. Public Defenders: How Do They Stack Up?
When you are accused of a crime, you have the right to an attorney. As the arresting officer tells you while reading your Miranda rights, if you are unable to afford a private defense attorney of your own, you will be provided with an attorney known as a public defender. In either case, the job […]
