Pennsylvania Criminal Defense

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 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...

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...

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...

The discussion around sentencing reform has brought new attention to the idea of geriatric parole, a policy designed to recognize when continued incarceration no longer serves justice or public safety. As people grow older behind...

Most of us have been stopped by the police at one time or another while driving. To say that it can be stressful is an understatement. It doesn’t matter whether you think you’ve done anything “wrong” or not –...

If you’re facing assault charges, chances are you’re accused of “simple” or “aggravated” assault. Although these crimes are similar, there are key differences in how each charge is defined–and the...

It’s a nice summer day, sun is out, it’s not too hot, and you decide to sit in your car in your driveway, listen to some tunes on the premium sound system you paid the dealer extra for, and have a few beers. Maybe you...

It starts as a dare, a laugh, a rush of adrenaline—one teen records, another performs, and a few seconds later the video is online, chasing likes and validation. But what happens when that fleeting moment turns deadly? In...

Following separate incidents across the Susquehanna Valley, two men are facing DUI and child endangerment charges. Nathaniel Keperling, 42, was arrested by Northern Lancaster County Regional Police on August 12th after driving...

Pennsylvanians seeking to expunge a criminal record now have a new tool at their disposal. The state has launched an online application system to simplify the pardon request process and help residents with criminal records get a...

Custody disputes are already some of the most emotional, high-stakes situations a parent can face. But in Pennsylvania, a disagreement over parenting time can sometimes escalate into something far more serious: a criminal...

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...

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...