Pennsylvania Criminal Defense

When a person is arrested in Pennsylvania, whether in Philadelphia, or any of Pennsylvania’s 67 counties, the setting of, and posting of bail will often be one of the first experiences that a defendant and his or her family...

After a person is arrested and charged with a crime in Pennsylvania, the preliminary hearing will be one of the first court proceedings in many instances. Understanding basic principles of what a preliminary hearing is in...

A proper defense to a DUI prosecution in Pennsylvania, as with a proper defense to any criminal prosecution, is dependent upon thorough preparation by the defense attorney, and preparation for a DUI case begins with the initial...

After a person is arrested and charged with a crime in Pennsylvania, the preliminary hearing will be one of the first court proceedings in many instances.  Outside of Philadelphia, in Pennsylvania counties such as Bucks,...

When a person is arrested and charged with a crime, especially if one is a Pennsylvania first-time offender, there will be many questions as to what lies ahead.  Because the preliminary arraignment is one of the first steps...

When a person is arrested in Pennsylvania, one of the first steps to take place in what can often be a long process is the preliminary arraignment.  Understanding what a preliminary arraignment is will help a person and his...

When a person is on parole and faces a violation hearing, a critical question is whether the person is on county parole or Pennsylvania State parole.  Although county parole violations are handled sometimes slightly...

People sentenced to probation or paroled in Pennsylvania may be thankful that they either avoided a jail or prison sentence altogether, or had their jail or prison sentence reduced because probation or parole was either part of...

When a person is arrested and charged with a crime in Philadelphia in violation of Pennsylvania State law, the criminal case will start in Philadelphia Municipal Court.  If the case involves misdemeanor charges only, the case...

When a person is arrested for a drug offenses or a DUI in Philadelphia, and for many other kinds of criminal offenses, the person’s vehicle is often involved.  Whether a person is driving a car, a truck, or any other...

When a person is on probation or county parole in Philadelphia and is arrested, that person often will have a difficult decision to make.  A related consideration is that because the Philadelphia Probation Department in most...

When a person is charged with a crime, an effective defense attorney will do everything possible to get the best possible result.  Different strategies must be employed at different stages of the criminal court process. ...

People miss court in Philadelphia on any given day for various reasons, and when this happens, a bench warrant may be issued.  When defendant misses a criminal court hearing in Philadelphia, a bench warrant will be issued and...

Matters of the heart and/or familial relationships can be a source of great happiness, but can also be a source of great trouble.  Unfortunately, it is all too common for family members and loves ones to have problems develop...

There are many drug arrests in Philadelphia every year, and a significant part of the Philadelphia Municipal Court trial docket is made up of possession of drug cases.  When a person is charged with any criminal offenses...

Defendants who are found guilty in the Criminal Division of Philadelphia Municipal Court can appeal their convictions and sentence to the Philadelphia Court of Common Pleas – Criminal Division. All appeals from Philadelphia...

The preliminary arraignment is far more important that most defendants, defendants’ families, and even most attorneys realize.  Arraignments are heard every four hours, 24 hours a day, seven days a week at the...

All criminal cases in Philadelphia when prosecuted by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, most often through the Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office, will start in the Criminal Division of Philadelphia Municipal...

Defendants charged with criminal offenses in Philadelphia and their families often ask, “Where will I or my loved one have to go court?”  All arrests made in Philadelphia County must at least initially be...