Pennsylvania Criminal Defense

The shootout in Philadelphia that hurt several police officers, but did not lead to kidnapping charges, has turned political. A federal prosecutor blamed progressive Philadelphia District Attorney Larry Krasner for the...

Actor Michael Madsen ended his case of driving under the influence (DUI) by pleading no contest to the charges. Here’s what a “no contest” plea means. Actor Charged with DUI, Pleads No Contest Back in March,...

The story all over the news in Philadelphia is about the police standoff in the Nicetown-Tioga neighborhood. Now that the dust from the shootout has settled, we can see what criminal charges are likely to be filed against the...

A college football player’s charges for drug possession are being dropped after prosecutors realized, once again, that field chemical tests are terribly inaccurate. In this case, the substance that the chemical...

Defense lawyers for some of the numerous people accused in Philadelphia under federal corruption laws are demanding that their clients receive separate trials. While the motion could turn an already logistically difficult case...

A man in Bucks County is being accused of making terroristic threats against Temple University in Philadelphia. The incident draws out the line between a criminal threat and your First Amendment rights. Man Arrested for Making...

A fire in the Philadelphia area shows how much criminal law in Pennsylvania focuses on your intentions. Depending on whether the fire was accidental or intentional will determine whether the suspect could be charged...

News outlets frequently fail to comprehend legal issues. In most cases, news stations treat people who have been arrested for a crime like they would treat a convicted criminal. In Arizona, a recent news story completely botched a...

A bizarre chain of events in Florida brings an often overlooked aspect of domestic violence law into the limelight: The so-called “Relinquishment Gap” that can allow people to keep their guns after they have had...

A crazy scene unfolded in South Philadelphia in the early morning hours of July 20, 2019. According to one of the alleged victims, she was robbed and beaten after filming a street race that ended with a crash that damaged her car...

A recent news story covered an ongoing focus of law enforcement in Philadelphia – ticketing people for littering. While the practice has definite benefits like clean streets, there are problems with enforcing the tickets and...

In our last blog post, we detailed Pennsylvania’s heat of passion defense and how it would likely come up if charges were filed over a thwarted kidnapping. Here, we’ll explain the differences between...

An attempted kidnapping in Philadelphia led to a string of events that perfectly illustrates one of the defenses to a serious violent crime: that the defendant acted in the “heat of passion.” Kidnapping Thwarted...

In a clear attempt to undermine the progress of criminal justice reform, Pennsylvania lawmakers have passed a bill that singles out Philadelphia’s progressive district attorney in all but name and strips him of significant...

Even though the person who accused Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Odubel Herrera of assault has stopped cooperating with prosecutors, Major League Baseball (MLB) still decided to suspend him without pay for the rest of...

The criminal charges against Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Odubel Herrera have been dropped after the alleged victim refused to pursue the case. Developments like these are especially common in alleged domestic...

Burglary is a very specific criminal offense with several important elements that can be difficult for prosecutors to prove beyond a reasonable doubt. Challenging the evidence that prosecutors use to prove those elements of...

News reports in Philadelphia covered an apparent arson in Pine Hill, New Jersey: a playground had caught fire, and the flames spread to a nearby concession stand. While police have not yet ruled it arson and the incident happened...

A motorcyclist is likely going to be charged with several offenses after allegedly fleeing from a traffic stop. The incident could lead to especially steep charges if there was evidence that the motorcyclist was driving under...

Conspiracy charges are some of the least understood criminal offenses on the books in Pennsylvania. Some people are shocked to learn that they could face criminal penalties for conspiracy when they did not even participate in the...