Pennsylvania Criminal Defense

If you’ve ever been pulled over, stopped on the street, or questioned by police, you’ve probably wondered what gives them the right to do it. The answer usually comes down to two legal standards—reasonable suspicion and...

While Philadelphia has seen encouraging declines in homicides and other violent crimes in 2025, aggravated assault continues to make up the largest share of violent offenses citywide. Shootings, hit-and-runs, unprovoked attacks,...

Gambling fans in the Eastern United States might like to know that there are 17 casinos within Pennsylvania’s borders, according to the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board. However, they should also know about the possibility that...

Many Pennsylvanians enjoy the cold-weather fun that winter brings: skiing, sledding, building snowmen, and, of course, drinking hot cocoa afterwards. Yet the colder months can also display a disturbing pattern that catches many...

An increasing number of states have stand-your-ground laws. These laws govern when individuals can defend themselves and use reasonable force when another person is unlawfully attempting to hurt them. Pennsylvania allows...

In recent years, increased attention has highlighted the connection between major sporting events and human trafficking.  From the Super Bowl to the Final Four, groups have mounted various campaigns to raise awareness about this...

A man going door-to-door posing as a charity worker and a woman opening credit cards under someone else’s name might sound like similar acts, but under Pennsylvania law, they’re two different crimes. One focuses on pretending...

AI technology has reached a point where altering a teen’s photo into an explicit image takes only a few clicks, and that simplicity is driving serious criminal cases in Pennsylvania. Law enforcement found 347 altered images and...

In a case of good news, bad news, Philadelphia’s homicide rate decreased. The bad news is that it remains one of the city’s leading causes of death. Violent crimes carry some of the stiffest penalties. A conviction can upend a...

Like many other states, Pennsylvania places restrictions on individuals convicted of child sexual abuse from being around children. This can include registration as a sex offender and a bar on the adoption and fostering of...

Charge stacking happens when prosecutors charge a defendant with more than one crime for the same general set of actions or the same event. Based on some data, two things can happen as a result: the defendant has a greater...

Pennsylvania has set a new precedent when it comes to AI-generated child pornography. At his sentencing hearing, a Lehigh County man was sentenced to a maximum of 10 years in state prison for violating a recently passed law that...

A nationwide crackdown just led to the rescue of more than 200 child victims and nearly 300 arrests across the country, including two arrests right here in Eastern Pennsylvania. Operation Relentless Justice shows how aggressively...

Pennsylvania’s justice system is at a breaking point, with incarceration percentage rates that outpace nearly every other democratic nation and growing pressure for reform. The picture becomes even more striking once county...

People in America have certain inalienable rights, and police and other authorities must respect those rights anytime they interact with the public. But if that’s the case, why does it seem like police and federal...

Every year, as Pennsylvania settles into freezing nights and heating bills jump, law enforcement sees a sharp rise in winter-related fraud. When utilities are stretched, people are stressed, the door opens for schemes involving...

Under the U.S. Constitution, everyone has a right to protest. This includes college students, but students need to be aware of how to lawfully protest to avoid criminal charges. Criminal charges differ from campus disciplinary...

We live in an age when virtually every person over 15 has a handheld camera in their pocket at all times. This fact exposes the risk that people will record events they probably shouldn’t, including their own sexual...

Even though recreational marijuana remains illegal in Pennsylvania, if you have a previous conviction for possession or other marijuana-related crimes, you may still be able to have your conviction expunged. In some cases, your...

It’s a call no parent ever wants to receive: your child has been found with a firearm at school. The shock quickly gives way to fear — not only for your child’s future, but for your own. These cases are becoming more...