An arrest can leave people feeling overwhelmed and uncertain about their rights and future. Legal troubles can hang like a cloud over defendants and their families. Knowing what to expect next in the process can help in being better prepared. In Pennsylvania, the process that unfolds after an arrest involves various steps, each designed to …
Your Rights and the Law
Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court Rules Skill Games Are Legal
Will Ruling End Debate Over Skill Games in Pennsylvania? In a 7-0 decision on November 30, 2023, the court upheld a Dauphin County judge’s finding earlier this year that the skill games are not slot machines or illegal gambling devices, but that the devices developed by Pace-O-Matic are actually “skill games”, meaning they require a …
Major Fentanyl Seizures in Pittsburgh
Two Separate Incidents – 10,000 Doses of Fentanyl Seized in Pittsburgh. Acting Attorney General Michelle Henry announced two major fentanyl seizures in Pittsburgh, highlighting the ongoing efforts to combat the deadly opioid crisis in Pennsylvania. According to her statement, 962 bricks of fentanyl were seized in Pittsburgh by Bureau of Narcotics Investigation Region V …
Can You Be Charged with DUI Without Driving?
Pennsylvania Court Further Defines ‘Operation’ of Vehicle in DUI Cases In Bold vs. Department of Transportation (PennDOT), the Commonwealth Court clarified the precedent for the term ‘operates’, which is used in the Implied Consent Law under Section 1547(b)(1)(ii) of the Pennsylvania Vehicle Code, 75 for license suspension cases. This definition expands the meaning to include …
DUI Checkpoints in Pittsburgh
DUI CheckPoints – Pittsburgh, PA Information and What You Should Know if You Are Stopped at a DUI Checkpoint The holidays are here again – time for people to get together, celebrate, and drink their care away! It’s the time for merriment, although holidays can also be stressful. One added stressor is that festivities could …
Pennsylvania Marijuana Pardon Project – Deadline Sept 30
Do you have a criminal record in Pennsylvania for a minor marijuana offense? If you are one of thousands of people who were charged and convicted of simple marijuana charges in Pennsylvania – a drug that in many states is perfectly legal – you now have the chance to get those criminal charges off your …
Can You Go To Jail at a Preliminary Hearing?
What Happens at a Preliminary Hearing in Pennsylvania? If you or a loved one were charged with a crime recently and are scheduled for a preliminary hearing, you may be wondering what could happen at the hearing. A preliminary hearing is not a trial, but rather a first step in a case used to determine …
Recent PA Court Ruling on Medical Marijuana: A Schedule I Drug in DUI Cases
Court Rules You Can be Charged and Convicted of DUI of Drugs for using Medical Marijuana Many medical marijuana users in Pennsylvania are in shock over the recent ruling in early May 2022 that says the legal medicine they have been prescribed could mean they are at risk for being charged with Driving Under the …
What Happens When the Ignition Interlock Device Program Is Violated in Pennsylvania?
Penalties if a Person Tampers with an Ignition Interlock Device under the Ignition Interlock Program. If you were charged with DUI in PA and mandated to use an Ignition Interlock Device and drive with a limited interlock driver’s license, you are aware that you may only drive the vehicle approved with the device installed. If any …
Filing a License Suspension Appeal in Pennsylvania
Is it Possible to File an Appeal if Your License has Been Suspended in Pennsylvania? There are numerous reasons a driver’s license might be suspended by PennDOT, including obvious reasons like driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol or being cited with reckless driving. There are also other non-driving reasons like failing to appear …