Pennsylvania Criminal Defense

A bill to ban those convicted of domestic abuse from holding a number of government offices has been introduced in the Pennsylvania House. Initially proposed in early 2022 by Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Centre, House Bill 2596 would...

Let’s get the main question out of the way: there is no law in Pennsylvania that reduces the potential penalty for any crime simply because the offender is older. A defendant convicted of voluntary manslaughter, for example,...

Pennsylvania, like many states, regulates a wide range of professions through a comprehensive licensing system. These include professions like barbering and cosmetology, jobs in the health care field such as physicians, nurses,...

Every time you attempt to get a new job, your prospective employers will look you up on the internet. When they “Google” you, any past arrest or conviction could pop up. Unfortunately, there is no time limit on online...

When you are involved in a domestic violence incident, the victim has the option to apply for a protection from abuse (PFA) order. PFAs are meant to prevent the alleged victim and the defendant from being in the same location at...

Navigating the dating world is tricky. You may not always know whether the object of your affection has understood your intentions or whether it is appropriate to continue to pursue them. What began as tricky can become risky if...

When it comes to child abuse, bystanders who fail to intervene are not immune to prosecution and punishment. That was the message a Pennsylvania judge sent when she sentenced a mother to almost 30 years in state prison for letting...

In August 2022, Anthony Elonis, a Northampton County resident, was convicted of cyberstalking by the U.S. District Court. Elonis was charged with three counts of cyberstalking for three separate victims. One of these victims was a...

In June 2022, the federal government passed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, which, among other things, introduced a regulation to crack down on gun sales by introducing an enhanced review process, penalties for illegal...

Medical professionals hold a high responsibility to protect and do no harm to their patients. It is always jarring when the public hears of a physician who has been arrested for criminal charges against a patient. Oftentimes,...

“I’ve violated my PFA order, so I might as well continue to violate it. The damage is already done. I can’t make it worse.” Wrong. Continued violations of a Protection from Abuse (PFA) order can — and likely will...

Many children are fascinated with fire and flames, and some even start fires themselves. For example, in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, alone, an average of just over one structure fire per month was started by a child, and about...

Nearly everyone experiences a traffic stop at some point in their lives. Most of these are routine and result in a simple fine you can pay online. On occasion, the stop leads the officers to pursue more serious criminal charges...

There’s nothing funny about Protection from Abuse (PFA) orders. Being served a PFA is a warning notice that your future actions will be scrutinized under a microscope. Any wrong move you make will be magnified. Suddenly,...

Protection from Abuse (PFA) orders should never be broken. This seems obvious, but it is worth repeating in light of this tragic story out of Blairsville. A 48 year-old man, Stacy Arnold Livingston, broke into his own home —...

We live in expensive times, and for many people the only way to afford a place to live is to share a house or apartment with others. And while it may be great to imagine a bunch of people happily living together like in an old...

Trolls. Haters. Keyboard warriors. Anyone who spends time online—whether visiting social media platforms, lurking on discussion forums, or even reading the comments of just about any site or article—is well-acquainted with...

On June 1, Matthew Torres made a bad decision. The 34 year-old man from York allegedly violated his Protection from Abuse (PFA) orders by stalking his accuser at her home. He also reportedly fired a gunshot. This came at the tail...

When Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin sang in 1999 about “living la vida loca,” he likely never imagined just how loca his life would one day become. In July 2022, Martin became the subject of a restraining order in his...

Investment bankers are some of the highest-paid professionals in the workforce. Typical compensation for new graduates in entry-level positions is more than $100,000 per year, and those at the top of the profession often earn more...