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If you or a loved one recently discovered that you are the subject of a bench warrant, you may wonder, “What is a bench warrant?” Why did this occur, and what should I do about it? We can explain what a bench warrant means, why…
It’s hard to overstate the importance of your right to remain silent. This fundamental right is a cornerstone of the U.S. criminal justice system, protecting us from making self-incriminating statements that prosecutors can use against us. But when and how do you invoke this right? Does…
DUI is a serious offense in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Driver & Vehicle Services reports first-time offenders can be charged with up to $300 in fines, be required to obtain alcohol treatment, and be placed on probation for six months. Those with prior convictions…
Recently, a car crash turned into a violent incident involving at least ten gunshots. A man crashed into a vehicle with two women and a 5-year-old child. Both drivers got out of their vehicles and began arguing. A bystander tried to intervene, but the driver who…
Because incarcerated individuals cannot seek their own medical treatment, it is up to prison staff to ensure that injured or ill inmates get the care they need. Inmates have a right to adequate medical treatment. It is unlawful for prison staff to deny it. If an…
There are no bail bondsmen in Philadelphia. The court system, in its own way, acts as a bondsman. An individual need only post ten percent of the total bail, and he or she will be released. (If bail is ten thousand, one thousand in cash gets you…
A distinguished lawyer call our office this morning to discuss a previous post on summary offenses, where the reader could interpret our post to mean that summary offenses are not crimes. He stated that under Commonwealth v. Matty, 619 A.2d 1383 (Pa. Super. 1993), certain summary offenses are…
As a defense attorney in Philadelphia, I receive a great many questions regarding summary appeals, so I thought I should write about summary appeals as a review. Understand what is written in this post is not meant to include Philadelphia county. In Philadelphia county my answers would…
The law grants immense power to police officers. Under certain circumstances, they have the authority to detain you, to arrest you, and to search your person, your home, your car, and your belongings. In some situations, they even have the right to use deadly force against…
Pennsylvania law permits police officers to use force against citizens while acting in the line of duty. While making an arrest, for instance, an officer “is justified in the use of any force which he believes to be necessary to effect the arrest and of any force…
