In general, the police have no right to enter your home without a search warrant. They can certainly ask you if they’re allowed to come in and search, but you’re under no obligation to let them do so. If they tell you that you have no choice, ask to see the warrant....
Criminal Defense
Criminal Defense
What happens if someone gets caught drinking while underage?
There is no question that many teens and young adults like to try new things, and that can include drinking before they turn 21. While there are a few times when drinking while underage is acceptable, such as during a religious ceremony, for the most part, drinking...
The importance of a defense attorney
The right to a lawyer is as important to the American justice system as the right to a fair trial. The two go hand-in-hand. Anyone who is accused of a crime, regardless of the nature of that crime or the evidence against them, has a right to a fair trial and legal...
Pretextual stops in Pennsylvania: What you need to know
After a traffic stop, when can the state police decide to hold you for an extended period of time and search your car? In Pennsylvania, the answer seems to be, “Whenever they feel like it,” even if doing so is actually illegal. All it takes to pull over a car is “mere...
Should you testify as the defendant in a criminal case?
You’re the defendant in a criminal case, and you want to make sure that you do all you can to protect your interests. You know that there is a chance that you’ll be asked to testify, even though you could make a mistake or say something that doesn’t sit right with the...
Horror movie provides inspiration but no justification for theft
Movies can have powerful impacts on their audiences. Some movies make people laugh, some movies entertain people, and some movies frighten people. Two teenagers in Scranton recently confused the fictional world in the movie "The Purge" with real life and are now...
Understanding how extradition works
Police in Lackawanna County recently arrested a woman who had been accused of selling a controlled substance in Cortland, N.Y. According to news reports, the woman was extradited from Pennsylvania to New York to stand trial. Such occurrences are common - a person is...
Police arrest three men in $100k debit card fraud
The proliferation of credit cards and debit cards has, not surprisingly, led to the proliferation of crimes involving these cash substitutes. Police in South Abington Township in Lackawanna County recently arrested three men who are alleged to have operated a...
Weapons and hate crime charge raises mental health issues
The line between expressing forbidden criminal intent and aberrant mental health can be quite vague. The case of a man currently in the Lackawanna County Prison demonstrates the difficulties of distinguishing between expressions of intent to commit hate crimes and...
Disagreement about liquor ID becomes fight, robbery and DWI
Store clerks who sell liquor in Pennsylvania are required to ask for identification and proof that the customer is old enough to legally purchase intoxicating beverages. Ordinarily, the transaction is simple and quick, but a recent argument about showing...