Interacting with local law enforcement representatives can be a harrowing experience. If you’re not sure what officers wish to charge you with, you may feel intimidated and out of control. There are certain responses to a...
The Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office (DAO) recently announced a pilot diversion program to place youth who have committed minor offenses in after-school arts classes to help them avoid entering the juvenile...
Being arrested is a harrowing experience for anyone, but individuals with special needs can face additional challenges, especially because the criminal justice system isn’t always equipped to handle those needs. Pennsylvania...
Perhaps Altoona’s Joseph Clark III didn’t read the fine print on the Protection From Abuse (PFA) order that a female plaintiff successfully filed against him. It could be, he didn’t understand it the first time...
Law enforcement is a challenging, dangerous job involving considerable discretion that officers must exercise on the spot. Sometimes arrest and charging decisions can veer into questionable areas, and that’s exactly when you...
Prior to 1994, a person serving a life sentence in Pennsylvania had a fair chance of receiving a commutation from the clemency or a pardon. At that time, a prisoner only needed a 3-2 majority vote from the Pennsylvania Board of...
Local judges in Pennsylvania have a substantial influence over the criminal legal system–and not just in a criminal trial. How judges use their discretion throughout the process can make an enormous difference in how long a...
Tom Petty said it well in his hit song, Walls: “Some days are diamonds, some days are rocks.” In late April, Gregory Lee Clark, 54, of St. Clair Township, got a rock. Early in the evening of the 27th, two deputies showed up at...
Most Pennsylvanians know House Bill 1180 as the bill that would legalize marijuana in the state. Introduced in mid-April 2021 by Representative David Delloso, D-Ridley Park, the bill would make marijuana use legal for anyone...
Have you been arrested in Pennsylvania over the last eighteen months for domestic abuse or violating a Protection from Abuse (PFA) order? You’re not alone. Like a number of other crimes, from reckless driving to homicide,...
The media is awash with news about Bill Cosby after the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned his sexual assault conviction. We originally updated you about Cosby’s case in October of 2020, and then we explained why the...
If you don’t cooperate with the court’s conditions for parole, your chances of gaining parole are pretty low. What happened in Bill Cosby’s case shortly before the Pennsylvania Supreme Court reversed his...
The arrest of a Pennsylvania couple made headlines recently in part for the gaudy nature of the offense. Christopher Weikert and Tara Gallucci had over 21.5 pounds of meth, worth over $1 million, stashed in their Northampton...
Protection from Abuse Orders: Drawing a Line Between Parenting Choices and Child Abuse
June 29, 2021
A bold and well-qualified spokesperson has finally confronted the big unspoken issue head-on: too many good parents, whether in custody disputes or just while doing their best as parents, face false allegations of child abuse....
A recent report indicates that the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania is considering new rules for using comfort animals to calm witnesses in court. Court appearances can be stressful, but who would have thought that it would come...
A recent story reports the firing of a Pennsylvania prison guard for slapping an inmate unprovoked and then trying to cover it up. State law supported the guard’s firing. Pennsylvania statute prohibits guards from using...
A defendant may seek to withdraw a guilty plea in Pennsylvania–but it’s getting harder to have the motion granted. The Pennsylvania appeals court recently refused to void the prison sentence of an Erie man who sought...
Automatic Expungements for Marijuana
June 15, 2021
Automatic Expungements for Marijuana Gain Popularity In recent years, the use of marijuana has become increasingly mainstream. Many states have not only decriminalized marijuana possession, but they have also taken steps to...
Recently, actress Olivia Wilde sought and received a restraining order against an apparent stalker of her family. The star, once engaged to Jason Sudeikis, applied for the restraining order to protect herself, Sudeikis, and...
The recent arrest of a Scranton man offers a useful opportunity to discuss stalking in Pennsylvania, particularly what enhancements can do to a stalking sentence. Earlier this year, Gregory Rossi, 49 of Hazelton, received 30...