Castle Doctrine & Stand Your Ground Law - Pennsylvania Castle Doctrine & Stand Your Ground Law: The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania recently joined the list of over two dozen states with laws authorizing the use of force, including deadly force, to protect...
A.R.D. = Alternative Rehabilitative Disposition. What is ARD? What is ARD? In Pennsylvania, there is a program titled Alternative Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD). This excellent program is used when it comes to criminal offenses that are considered minor. For...
Probation Violation (PV) - How to Avoid a PV Steps to avoid Probation Violations in Pennsylvania: Probation violations can turn your life upside down. A common misconception is that a judge in Pennsylvania is required to credit a PV offender with time served. This is...
Preliminary Hearings for Criminal Cases in PA - What Happens? Preliminary Hearings in Pennsylvania: The preliminary hearing in Pennsylvania is a critical proceeding in a criminal case and should not be attended to by a defendant without an Experienced criminal...
Aggravated and Simple Assault Defenses Aggravated and Simple Assault Defenses: The defenses available in assault cases vary depending upon the facts and circumstances, mainly because the cases can range from straightforward to the very complex. The...
Pennsylvania Marijuana charges and Punishments; Defenses to the charges Pennsylvania Marijuana Charges and Punishments: 1. Possession of Marijuana 30 grams or less is a Misdemeanor punishable by up to 30 days in jail and a fine of up to $500.00. 2. Possession of...
PA Supreme Court overturns Gun plus Drug Dealing Mandatory Minimum Sentence Supreme Court Overturns Drug plus Gun Mandatory Sentence: In the case of Commonwealth vs. Hanson, __ A.3d.__, 2013 WL 6831854 (Pa. Supreme Ct., December 27, 2013), opinion by Justice Saylor,...
Building a DUI Defense Building a DUI Defense: A driving under the influence (DUI) does not mean the end of your life or your career. Immediately following your arrest, contact our office to learn about avoiding a DUI conviction or reduce the...
Search & Seizure Violations Search and Seizure Violations: Any violation of your Fourth Amendment search & seizure rights could result in a complete dismissal of all charges against you. The Courts treat search and seizure rights very seriously because the...
Suppressing an Eyewitness Identification Eye Witness Identification: One of the most difficult areas of the law facing criminal trial lawyers is handling eyewitness identifications, both in and out of the courtroom. There is no doubt that eyewitness identifications...