In Pennsylvania, a criminal defendant may enter a plea of guilty, not guilty or, at the discretion of the court, "nolo contendere". The latter is a Latin phrase that translates to "it is not contested." Although these types of pleas are used infrequently, they can be...
Month: April 2018
Penn State student allegedly sold cocaine out of frat house
A college campus is like a microcosm of society. Just about anything that goes on off campus also happens on campus. And Penn State is no exception. For better or worse, this observation also applies to the kinds of crime one will find on campus. Allegations of some...
Are traffic tickets that big of a deal?
Everyone gets traffic tickets, so there is no need to worry about them, right? Wrong. This optimistic thinking can get you into trouble. Traffic tickets may seem small, but they can easily become major problems if you do not take care of them right away. Traffic...
An overdose death could mean 40 years for defendant
Most people in Pennsylvania know that it is illegal to buy or sell narcotics. Either party to such a transaction may end up facing drug charges. If, however, the person who purchased the narcotics ends up dying from their use, the person who sold the narcotics to the...
Defining “probable cause” in Pennsylvania criminal cases
The Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, as well as the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution, protect citizens against unlawful searches and seizures, including arrests. When it comes to criminal defense, Fourth Amendment protections are...