Carbondale Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Law Blog

Even if you have heard of the crime of manslaughter, you might have a number of questions as to what the term manslaughter refers to and what manslaughter charges include.

There are two types of manslaughter charges including voluntary manslaughter and involuntary manslaughter. Both types of manslaughter charges are considered less serious criminal charges than murder charges in Pennsylvania.

Embezzlement charges can be serious charges for an accused individual to face which is why anyone charged with embezzlement may rightly wonder what the charge entails. By definition, embezzlement refers to the fraudulent taking of personal property by a party it was entrusted to. Embezzlement can occur whether the personal property in question is transferred to a third party or not and is most commonly understood as the misappropriation of money.

It is important to note the embezzlement differs from some other theft crimes historically because the party charged with the crime of embezzlement had the right to possess the property or funds but typically improperly used or transferred the funds. Proving an embezzlement charge includes establishing that the employee, for instance, had possession of the property or funds because of their position or that they had authority to exercise control over the property or funds. The employee's job title, job description and the practices of the company will be evaluated by the court when considering an embezzlement charge.

Domestic violence charges are serious charges. In Pennsylvania, domestic violence charges are based on the circumstances and the standard charges include assault, aggravated assault or battery. It is up to the prosecution in Pennsylvania to determine if domestic violence charges will be pressed. Under Pennsylvania laws, domestic violence includes causing bodily injury; assault; or knowingly engaging in repeated conduct that creates the fear of bodily injury.

Domestic violence is considered to take place between family members, household members, sexual partners and some others. The penalties and consequences of domestic violence charges are serious and can range from a mandatory anger management class to felony charges which can result in incarceration. Most crimes also involve an act and a mental component for the accused individual to be convicted of the crime.

There are numerous criminal charges that individuals can be accused of and wind up facing which is why it is important for accused individuals to know their criminal defense rights and protections and be familiar with the different charges they might face. One category of crimes falls under the RICO Act which stands for the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. It targets racketeering activities.

Racketeering can occur in different contexts including when an organized group runs an illegal business, which is referred to as a racket, or when an organized crime ring employs a legitimate business or organization to embezzle funds. Common rackets might include prostitution or sex trafficking; drug trafficking; illegal weapons trafficking; or counterfeiting. More modern variations of racketeering may involve embezzling funds from companies and corporations.