Criminal Defense
Resolution of Criminal Cases Part II – Pleas
February 14, 2025When the police charge someone with a crime, they start a criminal case. From the moment that they do, the most important thing to the person charged is how the case ends. Generally speaking, it will end in one of four ways: The Commonwealth could drop the case, or the defendant may participate in some sort of diversionary program, enter some sort of plea, or stand trial.
Resolution of Criminal Cases: Part I – The Trial
November 18, 2024When the police charge someone with a crime, they start a criminal case. From the moment that they do, the most important thing to the person charged is how the case ends. Generally, it will end in one of four ways: The Commonwealth could drop the case, or the defendant may enter some sort of diversionary program, plea, or stand trial.
The Effect of Rescheduling Marijuana in Pennsylvania
May 3, 2024The FDA Considers Rescheduling Marijuana
It was recently reported that the federal Food and Drug Administration is considering rescheduling Marijuana from Schedule I to Schedule III. If the reschedule happens, (and it is still very much up in the air right now) the decision will change a lot. Whether Pennsylvania follows suit or not, however, is a separate question.
Understanding Bail: A Pivotal Early Decision in Criminal Cases
January 23, 2024The Criticality of Bail in Criminal Proceedings
Bail determination stands as one of the most critical early issues in a criminal case, often surpassing the gravity of the charges or the defense strategy planned for trial. This decisive moment occurs so early that the accused may not yet have legal representation when bail is set, impacting whether they will remain incarcerated or free while awaiting trial.
Preliminary Hearings
October 3, 2023After police file criminal charges against someone, the first critical stage of the proceedings against them is a preliminary hearing before a magisterial district judge. In Lancaster County, there are two types of cases that have preliminary hearings in specialized central courts—domestic violence and driving under the influence—those central courts will be discussed in a separate blog. The defendant’s decisions on the day of the preliminary hearing can profoundly affect the trajectory of their case going forward, and those decisions should be guided by a skilled, diligent, and experienced lawyer.
Post Conviction Relief in Pennsylvania
February 10, 20237 Reasons You May Qualify For Post Conviction Relief
Post conviction relief laws in Pennsylvania, provide multiple opportunities for someone to attempt to overturn their crime conviction. But post-conviction practice is replete with pitfalls and packed with nuance. If a defendant can prove his claim for post-conviction relief, the court could throw out his case, order a new trial, or issue an order to remedy the issue. Even if a jury has previously convicted or the defendant had entered a guilty plea. Get a second set of eyes to review your case for potential post-conviction litigation. You need a careful, experienced, and detail-driven attorney for your best chance at relief.
Driving With Suspended License or While Operating Privilege is Revoked
January 12, 2023What You Need To Know About Driving With A Suspended License
Are you driving with a suspended license? For any number of reasons, many drivers in Pennsylvania temporarily lose their driving privileges. Some of the more common reasons include: Unpaid fines, an accumulation of points, or a DUI-related conviction.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (“PennDOT”) determines your points. Too many will result in a loss of driving privileges. Pennsylvania’s most common license suspension offenses are DUIs. Read on to learn more about suspended license provisions.
REPEAT DUI OFFENDERS- Beware!
December 8, 2022What You Need to Know About Getting Repeat DUI’s
You may have heard about Pennsylvania’s new laws regarding repeat DUI offenders. Read PennDot’s recent news release: Those committing repeated DUI offenses will face stricter penalties under a new Pennsylvania law. As a result, the law has changed the grading of certain DUI offenses.
The Act 59 of 2022, referred to as “Deana’s Law”, amends the Pa. Vehicle Code. This results in several changes including: 1) Increased grading for certain DUI offenses. 2) Required consecutive sentencing for certain repeat DUI offenders. 3) An 18-month driving privilege suspension for a DUI conviction graded as a 2nd degree felony, PennDOT said.
Pennsylvania Holiday Traffic Citation Quotas for 2022?
November 14, 2022Did You Get an Unjust or Questionable Traffic Ticket?
It’s probably that time of the year again when police departments may implement their holiday traffic citation quotas. Typically, in Pennsylvania, these quotas go into effect on December 1st and run through New Year’s Day. You may however, start to see an increase in police activity starting as early as November!
Speedy Trial and Rule 600
September 15, 2022Know Your rights
When someone is charged with a crime, they have the constitutional right to a speedy public trial. In the vernacular sense, time is an elusive creature in the modern criminal justice system. It is not unusual for criminal cases to take over a year to resolve from the time charges are filed. A careful and diligent lawyer can use the speedy trial rules to your advantage.