Hidden cameras are becoming more common as technology gets cheaper and people want more security. While it might seem harmless to set up a small camera in your home or on your property, Pennsylvania law places strict limits on how...
Child abuse remains a serious and growing issue in Pennsylvania, often repeated across generations due to trauma, poverty, and lack of support. In 2023, the Pennsylvania Department of Human Services received 40,301 reports of...
According to Pennsylvania statutes, the crime of forgery occurs when a person intentionally and knowingly attempts to defraud or cause harm to someone else through means of fabrication or imitation. In Pennsylvania, the crime of...
A substantial portion of the portrayals of “human trafficking” in popular culture tend to revolve around sex work, and these are the examples many people refer to when they hear the term “trafficking.” The truth is,...
Very little about Pennsylvania’s criminal justice system is simple, including the language of criminal offenses. Two offenses that sound similar can carry vastly different consequences for the person accused of them. For...
To members of the general public, words like “bribery” and “extortion” conjure images of Tony Soprano and Al Capone. Right now, those words may be at the heart of legal troubles that are causing you sleepless nights as you...
Being on probation means you are on thin ice and subject to the demands of the court. It makes sense that when you fail a drug test, it feels like you have been doused in cold water. The most pressing question is whether you are...
When people hear “theft” and “grand theft,” they may picture two very different crimes – from everyday shoplifting to the notorious headlines about stolen high-value items. But what do these terms really mean in the...
The popularity of taser devices – both for personal use and use by law enforcement – is understandable. The urge to protect oneself, loved ones, and vulnerable persons is primal. Yet, discharging a firearm in self-defense or...
Congress recently passed bipartisan legislation expanding the definition of fentanyl to include synthetic versions of the drug that had previously not been specifically included as so-called “Schedule 1” drugs. The new law...
Anyone convicted of murder in Pennsylvania will face one of three levels of charges. First degree is the most severe. All three carry serious penalties. If you’re facing a murder charge in Pennsylvania, the LLF Law Firm...
College can be a fun time. In the rush of the movement, some students can cross the line from innocent fun to breaking the law. Even a minor offense can have serious implications for a student’s future. Depending on your...
Pennsylvania has a number of laws that regulate the sale and use of various types of weapons. Among these is a law that restricts the sale or distribution of air rifles – including guns popularly known as “airsoft” guns....
Many people have recently viewed a video trend that supposedly exploits a “glitch” within the banking system, allowing them to deposit fake checks and then withdraw money without consequence. However, this “viral”...
Thanks in no small part to the ancient Egyptians, if you ask most people to imagine the shape of a pyramid, they have no trouble at all. A wide, sturdy base (usually comprised of a square) tapers upward via sloping triangular...
Forgery is a serious white-collar crime that can have lasting consequences for individuals and businesses alike. Whether the alleged offense involves a signature on a contract, the alteration of a financial document, or the...
It started with a glitch—and spiraled into a nationwide legal mess. Over the summer, a technical issue with JPMorgan Chase’s ATM system allowed people to deposit fake checks and withdraw cash before the system caught up....
Not all domestic violence charges are treated equally under Pennsylvania law. While the state doesn’t have a standalone “domestic violence” offense, many underlying crimes—like assault, stalking, or harassment—can be...
If you ask any street cop or prosecutor in a large city, they’ll tell you – when the temperature warms up, violent crime seems to increase as well. While this might make sense at a practical level – after all, when the...
A longtime Bucks County, Pennsylvania, Catholic school teacher and youth sports coach faces charges involving possession and distribution of child sexual abuse material after a tip to the National Center for Missing and Exploited...