I was not read my Miranda Rights when being arrested—was my arrest illegal? A common mistaken belief is that when a person is being arrested, the arresting officer must read that person their Miranda Rights, also known as the Miranda Warning, or ““You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will …
2016 Supreme Court Ruling on DUI Law Arresting Officers Need Search Warrant for DUI Blood or Chemical Testing A 2016 ruling by the United States Supreme Court in Birchfield v. North Dakota changed Pennsylvania DUI law in a major way. Prior to this decision, police officers investigating a DUI case were not required to obtain a …
Can You Now Have Your Criminal Record Expunged? One of the biggest concerns an individual may have during a criminal prosecution is, “Will this criminal charge be on my record forever?” The answer is usually yes, but there are some exceptions where criminal charges can be cleared from your record and will not show up on things …
What Actions Could Make You Get Pulled Over for DUI? Officers are trained to detect drivers under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs from observing the individual operate the vehicle, react during a traffic stop, and complete field sobriety tests. The following show the different phases of a DUI arrest and highlights what you should …
Do you or a loved one have a bail hearing in Allegheny County? You are probably wondering about your rights and the process of posting bail. “Bail” is the process the court undertakes to determine if an individual criminally charged can or should be released pending the disposition of their case. Bail also determines the …
Five Phases of DUI Court in Allegheny County The following information is part II of a two-part segment concerning DUI Court in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Read Part I here. What is DUI Court? DUI Court is a specialty court of the Fifth Judicial District of Pennsylvania, Allegheny County specifically designed to address a second DUI or …
Information about DUI Court in Allegheny County The mission of Allegheny County’s DUI Court is to hold multiple DUI offenders accountable through bringing about behavioral change. The goal for every participant is to end DUI recidivism and/or other criminal behavior through the use of long term judicial intervention, intensive probation supervision and drug and/or alcohol treatment. …
What is the ARD Program and would it Benefit You? The Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (“ARD”) program is a special program for first time offenders in Pennsylvania. ARD is usually used for a first offense DUI, but also can be used for other crimes such as first time drug possession and theft. As the name suggests, …
According to the Society for Human Resource Management, approximately 92% of employers conduct criminal background checks before hiring a potential new employee. A criminal charge on your record can have long lasting implications on your life and your job prospects. Because of this, it is important to make sure your record is criminal charge free. …
Just because your preliminary breath test (PBT) indicated there was alcohol in your system, does not mean that it can be used against you in court. In fact, many times a PBT is administered without reasonable suspicion and the results can be suppressed. In order for a police officer to administer a PBT, that officer …
