Pennsylvania Criminal Defense

A security guard shot and killed a man armed with a knife in a store in northern Philadelphia. The incident provides an important glimpse into an important aspect of self-defense law: the defense of justification. Security Guard...

A Philadelphia area man has been arrested and accused of sexually assaulting several children at the daycare that he and his wife ran. While this particular question is a side note to the case, an interesting query to...

Police are investigating an incident where a man allegedly robbed a store in Philadelphia while with his hand in his pocket to mimic a gun. In most states, the incident would raise the question of whether this amounted to an armed...

In one of our recent blog posts, we detailed how sex crime defendants can face additional charges if they are HIV-positive. We followed that post up with an overview of how other states handle the problem of...

In a recent blog post, we discussed how a sex crime suspect could face additional charges because he had been found HIV-positive. The way Pennsylvania’s criminal law handles the situation, though, is not the...

Police have announced that a suspect who had been charged with three counts of rape in Philadelphia is HIV-positive. The incident warrants a closer look at the additional charges someone can face for a sex...

Two Pizza Deliverymen Robbed in Philadelphia On Sunday, February 24, a pizza deliveryman was robbed while on a delivery. Then, on February 27, another deliveryman was shot and killed during the course of another...

A fight outside a high school in Philadelphia was cleared away when an unknown adult brandished what seems to have been a firearm. The situation presents an opportunity to go over the limits of Pennsylvania’s “stand your...

A unique aspect of the solicitation allegations that New England Patriots owner Robert Kraft is facing is the threat that they suddenly pose to both his reputation and his status in the football community. The collateral...

A string of gun violence in southwest Philadelphia raises the issue of underage gun users and how the law handles minors with guns. String of Shootings Targets Teens in Philadelphia Over the course of the past week, several...

A four-alarm fire last year in the historic Old City block of Philadelphia has been ruled an arson. While the investigation is ongoing, the incident provides a glimpse of a relatively rare detail about historic buildings that are...

The arrest, trial, and guilty verdict of Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, the leader of the Sinaloa drug cartel, showcases one of the most important differences between federal and state drug charges: The severity and magnitude...

The alleged assault of Empire actor Jussie Smollett continues to get stranger. New developments showcase just one of the ways that the investigation of a criminal defense lawyer can benefit people who have been...

A strange home robbery in the Rhawnhurst neighborhood of Philadelphia offers a valuable and real-life example of the complexities surrounding the law of kidnapping. Our Criminal Law Team explains. Home Invasion Ends With...

A woman in Falls Township claims to have been pulled over by someone who was impersonating a police officer. While a relatively rare offense and one that does not necessarily have a victim, impersonating a cop carries surprisingly...

In this polarized political climate, it’s rare that Republicans and Democrats agree on anything. But senators from both parties in Pennsylvania are coming together to push a bill that would tremendously change the...

Imagine if a computer program could determine your fate after being charged with a criminal offense. This may seem like a far-fetched idea, but it could be a reality much sooner than you think. If the Pennsylvania Commission is...

Being charged for driving under the influence is a stressful experience, and the repercussions after a conviction are harsh. The most dreaded penalty among offenders is the loss of driving privileges. If a license suspension is...

Within the last couple of years, Pennsylvania has made great strides in reforming its criminal justice system after decades of taking a “tough-on-crime” approach to criminal legislation. But despite the state’s valiant...

From the late 1600s to the early 1800s, many United States cities operated what is known as “debtors’ prisons.” These facilities were designed with the sole intention of jailing negligent monetary borrowers...