Many countries outside of the U.S., as well as many states within the U.S., have outlawed the death penalty. Pennsylvania has not. Capital punishment is infrequent, but it is still used. There are many reasons that other governments have stopped using the death...
Protecting Your Liberty. Defending Your Rights.
Violent Crimes
If the police say these 4 things, they’re probably lying
Whether you’re there in handcuffs or you walked in voluntarily, it’s scary to be stuck in a tiny room with a police detective grilling you about a serious crime. Worse still: Most people have been socialized to believe that authority figures have to be honest with...
Assault makes up 10% of arrests
If you considered the most common reasons for criminal arrests, what would you think leads the way? And where do you think that violent crimes like assault fit into that picture? The statistics show that assault is much more common than many people realize. In 2019,...
What does it take to justify defending yourself with force?
You have a right to defend yourself. In fact, you can do things in the name of self-defense that would constitute assault if they happened in a different setting. For instance, striking someone with the intent to injure them is typically illegal but is allowed as a...
What does it mean to be death penalty certified as an attorney?
When an attorney is death penalty certified, it means that they have gone through additional steps to be certified in handling these difficult, and often complex, cases. To become certified, the attorney has to try a certain number of death cases to completion....
The psychology of violent crime could help defend you in court
Violent crimes are more serious offenses than traffic infractions or other victimless crimes. Those accused of violent criminal offenses may face jail time and expensive fines if they are convicted. There is also the lifelong impact of a criminal record to consider....
Defenses against the death penalty
Being found guilty of murder in Pennsylvania could lead you to be sentenced to the death penalty, otherwise known as capital punishment. This often leads the person found guilty to spend many years in prison before finally being put to death. Capital punishment is a...
What is domestic violence and what are the penalties for it in Pennsylvania?
Domestic violence is illegal in Pennsylvania, just like it likely is in virtually any other jurisdiction in the United States. The state outlines its treatment of domestic violence in Pennsylvania Statutes, Title 23, Sections 6102 and 6113. What constitutes domestic...
What are the justifications for the death penalty?
Some of the most concerning legal cases we can see in the history of the United States are those where convictions are later overturned by DNA evidence. While this may lead to the release of someone who is in prison, it naturally leads people to question the accuracy...
Even the thinnest eyewitness testimony can lead to a conviction
Even in very serious cases, eyewitness testimony doesn’t have to be as strong as you may assume to gain a conviction for the prosecution. Thin evidence and questionable statements from people who claim to have seen something take place often can help sway a jury. One...