Read Our Blog
If you have been arrested and charged for driving under the influence (DUI) of alcohol, you may be facing serious penalties. Criminal procedures can be confusing for individuals who are not familiar with the legal system as defendants have several options in front of them. For example, they…
What Is a 302 Commitment in PA? A “302 commitment” refers to a specific provision under Pennsylvania law that allows for the involuntary emergency examination and treatment of individuals who are deemed to be a danger to themselves or others due to a mental health crisis….
When you think of a criminal charge, you are likely to first think of an offense that harms another person, such as theft or assault. However, the Pennsylvania criminal code sets out offenses that cause harm to more than just a specific human being. For example,…
Often, after you are unsuccessful in your state court appeal, people wonder what they can do to further their appeal and keep fighting. After your state court appeals are over, you may have a right to a Federal Habeas Appeal. In a Federal Habeas Appeal you are saying the…
In Commonwealth v. Walker, 92 A.3d 766 (2014), the Pennsylvania Supreme Court held expert testimony regarding eyewitness identification may be used in criminal court in Pennsylvania. However, the ruling means the trial judge gets to decide whether to allow the testimony at trial. The standard for the…
CASE REVIEW: Commonwealth v. Bavusa, 832 A.2d 1042 (2003). Bavusa is a case that doesn’t make any sense to me, but for some reason, we see it come up all the time in Philadelphia County Criminal Court. The ruling is logically inconsistent, which is surprising because Chief Justice Castille…
When someone is on probation and the person picks up a new arrest, the probation department can order the person be detained. At the outset of detention, the person is entitle to an initial hearing to determine if the person should be held in custody pending…
An off-duty Septa Police Officer named Kevin Fant was caught masturbating on a Septa train in Philadelphia. He was prosecuted, found guilty, and sentenced. The question is what is the crime of masturbating in public and is it a Megan’s Law offense? He was found guilty of…
People ask me all the time, “How to Get a Pardon?” There are manny factors including patience, but four factors stand out to me when I write a pardon applications that carry the day in determining whether my client will get the pardon. The Incident What…
Can I take a picture of Police Making an Arrest? For certain the answer is yes. The issue is what will the police officers do to you once they see you taking the picture, and what remedy you have against the police? There are two separate…
