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Canonsburg, PA 15317
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Pittsburgh Office

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Pittsburgh, PA 15212
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I have fond memories of my time in school, both in high school and in college. I was an active student, in sports and the classroom. I also had an active social life. I’m not so old that I don’t remember all the parties and clubs I went to, and the practical jokes I played on my friends. Not everything I did was legal, but that didn’t always enter my mind at the time.

Now, you are the student, and whether you’re a high school student or in college, you’re undoubtedly following a similar path to the one I did. But, fun can sometimes turn into things that are decidedly not so. Fake ID charges, underage DUI, and even assault charges can start out as an innocent night out with friends. With an arrest comes a phone call to your parents, which leads to more embarrassment and upset. The school may become involved, and the cops surely will.

In the past, officers were often likely to let a student go with a warning, but times have changed. Nowadays, they are more likely to arrest and charge you, no matter the severity of your mistake or your age. Having a criminal record as a juvenile can cause problems later in life, keeping you out of the college or career you had your heart set on or locking you out of living where you wish.

In addition to the loss of your driving privileges, an arrest and conviction for many crimes will land you in a child welfare or juvenile detention facility. You may be required to pay restitution for damaged items or property, which may leave you with less money available to buy the things you want. And, convictions often come with fines and fees, some steep.

If you’re a college student, your university may impose sanctions on you, such as suspension from a sports or academic team. You may lose out on current and future scholarship moneys, or even interviews for post-college job positions.

Often, students and their parents follow advice given by police. Most of the time, it’s bad advice. For example, the cops might tell you that a charge for a fake ID is minor, when in reality, it’s classified in the same manner as theft and forgery. You should always contact a lawyer for legal advice; it’s their job to know what is classified as a minor offense and what is not.

The processes for dealing with the court system and the college disciplinary board are very different, and tactics that work with one will be ineffective in the other. Your best option is to hire an attorney who has experience with both the juvenile justice system and with college disciplinary boards. I am just such an attorney, and have successfully defended many students who have been charged with crimes.

You might be tempted to defend yourself, because the cost of hiring an attorney seems too high. You can do that if you like, but it’s never a good idea. You don’t have the training and experience with the court system that attorneys such as myself do. You’re unfamiliar with the law and the nuances within it. You don’t have the connections I have made with prosecutors and others in the legal system. You’d do far better to hire an attorney to help you wade through the confusion that is the courts.

If you’re worried about how you’ll pay for it, don’t. I remember what it was like to be a student with limited funds. I offer payment plans that will enable you to pay for excellent and well-trained representation without breaking the bank.

Your future is too important to leave to chance. Do your best to resist the temptations that face you in social situations. When you can’t, and you find yourself in the backseat of a patrol car, know that you can get help. Call me, Sean Logue. My associates and I at Logue Law are available 24/7.

You have spent years raising your children and teaching them right from wrong. You have planned for their future and worked hard to save for their education. You have high expectations for them. Then, you send them off to school.

For the parents of high school and college students, the teen years and the early twenties can seem like a roller coaster ride of emotions. Your kids make decisions that don’t always make sense to you, and they often shut you out when you ask questions. Then, the stuff of nightmares happens when you get a call that your high school senior or college sophomore has been arrested.

Juvenile hijinks are not looked at the way they were in previous decades. Police departments and college boards take a far more serious view of even the smallest crime. And, we all know that young people do not always make good decisions. Something that can seem to your child, or even to you, to be a very minor infraction can come with long-reaching consequences nowadays. Your child, and by extension, you, need someone to help you navigate the confusing maze that is the justice system.

Choosing a lawyer to represent your child is not an easy task. All of us promise to do our best for you, so how are you to know who to trust and who not to? How can you judge, when all you know about us is what you see on our websites?

The best response I can give is to look at each attorney’s rating, record, and reviews. I have helped hundreds of students of all ages. I am experienced in the ways of the court system, both juvenile and adult, and am familiar with the manner in which the disciplinary boards of the many colleges and universities in the Pittsburgh area run. I have the experience and the dedication to my clients that your child will need to get him, or her, the best possible outcome. I will walk you through the entire process, from beginning to end, and will lay out for you the choices you have at each step. Then, when your child goes to court, I will stand beside you to defend your rights and that of your student. I will be your mouthpiece to the court.

Initial consultations are always free, and I am available by phone or online at any time of the day or night. If you would like to meet in person, that can be arranged, as well.

College students are often hesitant to allow their parents to be brought in on their case, and that must be respected; if that happens, you can rest assured I will treat them with the utmost respect and work with them to ensure the best outcome possible for their case. If there are underlying problems, perhaps with alcohol or substance abuse or anything else, we will assist you in finding the appropriate evaluations and programs to help. Often, we can use these as leverage in the courts to get lighter sentences, or even dismissals of charges, as long as your student completes the program.

It’s vitally important that you hire legal representation as soon as your student is arrested. In most cases, waiting means it becomes a lot harder to get charges reduced or dismissed. And, never accept a plea bargain without an attorney to assist you. What you might think is a good deal, could turn out to be otherwise.

When you do hire me, or any other attorney, don’t hide any of the facts of the case. Make sure you and your child tell me everything. It’s the only way I can guarantee a smooth process. Just because something seems unimportant to you, doesn’t mean it won’t help me help your student. My team of highly trained, aggressive, and experienced attorneys and I are only a phone call away. Call us now.

You might face imprisonment, fines, and a permanent criminal record, as well as other negative reactions from society that can cost you your job and ruin your reputation. You shouldn’t delay in contacting an experienced and reputable Pittsburgh Criminal Lawyer who can fight for you so that the case turns in your favor.

Things to know about Ethnic Intimidation

Pennsylvania law states that ethnic intimidation occurs when a person acts maliciously and with intent toward a religious, racial, or other group while in the act of committing a crime.

The victim of the crime does not have to actually belong to the minority group that has been referred to in the threats. If the perpetrator only perceives that they are, and threatens them, then a crime has been committed.

Things that are considered ethnic intimidation are as follows:

• Color
• Nationality or national origin
• Any kind of disability (mental or physical)
• Race
• Religion
• Ancestry
• Sexual orientation
• Gender or gender identity

If you are arrested for this crime, then any additional charges against you will go up one degree. As an example, you have received a summary charge for breaking someone’s window. You have also painted the side of their house with a racial slur. Your charge will be of a higher classification and can turn into a misdemeanor.

What to do if you are charged:

If the police believe that your crime was motivated by hatred for a perceived or actual member of one of the minority groups above, they will charge you with ethnic intimidation.

Suppose you shout ethnic slurs out at a person or threaten to kill him/her. The police will arrest you and charge you with ethnic intimidation. They will assume that your threat to kill/harm that particular person is somehow related to hatred for that particular group of people.

This is a serious crime, and you should retain an attorney as soon as possible so that your case is handled in the best possible way.

Do not get into any argument with or even talk to the police/prosecutors without the presence of your attorney at your side. Your words can be twisted and can be used against you, otherwise. If the police try to question you, be calm and polite, and tell them that you need a lawyer.

Help from a professional attorney

It is always advisable to hire an experienced Pittsburgh Criminal Lawyer in these kinds of cases. Here are some of the ways he can help you.

• Explain everything related to your charge in detail.
• Carefully review every aspect of your case.
• Determine if there is any evidence for the crime you have been accusedof.
• Discredit evidence which can work against you.
• Prepare a solid defense that will work in your favor.
• Protect your rights.

If you or a loved one have been charged with Ethnic Intimidation in or around the city of Pittsburgh, you will need an experienced criminal defense attorney. The Logue Criminal Defense team serves Pittsburgh, PA, and the surrounding areas, including West Virginia and Ohio. To get in touch and schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced Pittsburgh Criminal Defense lawyer from Logue Law Group, call us today at 412.387.6901 or 412.387.6901. Or, you can contact us online.

Don’t wait to call! The longer you wait to hire an attorney, the more difficult it becomes for him or her to get a good outcome for you and your case. Call today!

Ethnic Intimidation Laws in Pennsylvania

A definition and description of ethnic intimidation can be found in the Pennsylvania Criminal Code under Title 18 Chapter 27.

Getting distracted at traffic intersections is not at all uncommon. But, if you have driven through a stop sign without stopping, then you can expect some trouble. There is a high chance that the police might pull you over if you fail to observe your duties at a stop sign. If you are in this situation, give a Pittsburgh criminal defense attorney a call.

One or more moving violation tickets can lead to major issues or difficulties like suspension of license, hefty fines, rising insurance premium costs, points on your driving record, etc. With consequences like those, you should always fight the ticket because it is totally worth it. Only a successful and experienced Pittsburgh traffic ticket lawyer can help you minimize or even dismiss these problems. And he or she can also make sure that your rights are fully protected.

Things to Know About Failing to Stop for a Stop Sign

In Pennsylvania, traffic rules are quite strict, and you should be really cautious while driving. When approaching a stop sign, stop at the stop line painted on the ground. If you notice that there is no stop line at the intersection, then you need to completely stop before the crosswalk.

If there is no crosswalk, then make sure that you stop at the point nearest to the intersecting road so that you can have a clear view of any approaching traffic. If you still can’t see any traffic, then you should yield right of way to any person or pedestrian, and then slowly move forward until you see any traffic. Don’t cross the intersection until you feel it’s totally safe.

In a 3 or 4 way intersection which is controlled by stop signs, you have the right of moving if yours is the first car to arrive. If you are not sure about which car arrived first, then the car on the right should go first.

If you fail to stop completely, roll through the stop sign, drive through without stopping at all, then you have broken the law. If there is a police officer nearby, they will most likely issue you a ticket. Once you receive one, do not delay in contacting an esteemed criminal lawyer in the Pittsburgh area. Only he knows the various tactics of discrediting evidence, appealing in the court of law, etc. You can contact Logue Law Group for getting in touch with some of the best attorneys in town, who has sufficient experience in fighting cases involving duties at a stop sign.

Penalties

If you are accused of failing to stop at a sign, then three points will be added to your driving record.

What Should You Do if The Police Pull You Over?

Here are some suggestions for you if you ever get pulled over by the police. And you must remember one thing – you should never get angry during the interrogation as this might go against you.

1. You should turn off the ignition but don’t get out of the car.
2. Don’t argue with the police officer, be calm and polite.

Follow these two suggestions and trust me, it will help you immensely during the court proceedings.

How a Defense Attorney Can Help You

Once you get a ticket for neglecting your duties at a stop sign, you shouldn’t delay in contacting a traffic ticket lawyer in Pittsburgh. You will need professional help and advice throughout the entire procedure because it requires an ample amount of experience and knowledge in order to turn the case in your favor in the court of law.

To get in touch and schedule a free initial consultation with an experienced and dedicated Pittsburgh criminal defense lawyer from Logue Law Group, contact us online or call 412.387.6901 or 412.387.6901. We are available 24/7.

For expert legal assistance in Pittsburgh, the surrounding counties, Ohio, and West Virginia, call Logue Law Group now!

Cell phone searches have become a pressing concern with regard to the investigation of any incident involving a lawful arrest. According to Chimel v. California, the Supreme Court described an exception to the requirement in a warrant, in the case of a police arrest, which enables the police to search anyone without a warrant. According to Judge Posner, under the Seventh Circuit including Chicago, stated in the court’s opinion that the incident involving the cell phone search will be considered justified where the search is restricted to the address book or contact numbers of the phone. The First Circuit holds that the mobile phones are similar to the other closed containers which indicated that if the person who is arrested is kept safely secured from the container, there should be no exception, and the police should acquire a search warrant.

So, it is evident that the two circuits have given some opinions that were quite contradictory to each other, especially on this particular subject which will definitely further develop with the proliferation of mobile phones. It can be understood what the Seventh Circuit is trying to point out, that if the search is restricted, it would be reasonable, but there have been instances where law enforcement searches have overreached. There are ways in which it can be assured that no evidence or data has been removed from the phone, if the concern is regarding the loss of data while the phone is in the custody of the police. It is not quite credible to say that people will not possess important interests concerning privacy when it comes to their mobile phones. Imagine everything that is stored on your smartphone. You must have private messages, financial details, or other confidential and personal information on the phone. If one needs a proper warrant to search one’s luggage when you are separated from it, then the cell phone is liable to receive equal importance if not more. And that is why the seriousness of the matter demands the review of the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court did rule on one aspect of this matter in June of 2018. Their 5-4 decision stated that police must obtain a search warrant to access someone’s cell phone location information. This is a new limit on the data police are able to get in our world of increasing smartphone usage.

Chief Justice John Roberts, in his written statement for the court majority, stated that cell phone location information is almost perfect for governments to use to surveil people. He compared it to an electronic monitoring ankle bracelet, a tool that many jurisdictions use in lieu of jail time for certain offenders. Roberts wrote that people have an expectation of privacy as to their whereabouts, and that the government must, therefore, obtain a warrant before being allowed to access that data.

So, have you been accused of a criminal offense and arrested for it? If yes, then you must not delay and retain the best legal representation from an experienced, reputed, and credible Pittsburgh criminal lawyer. Contact us at the earliest to get a free consultation or any other help that you seek from us.

State police attempted to stop the vehicle at around 2 AM, according to state police Trooper Robert Broadwater. Officers on patrol in Franklin Township had run the vehicle’s license plate and discovered that it had been reported stolen from West Virginia. When the car did not stop, it was pursued by troopers in the northbound lanes of I–79 for several miles.

According to police, the driver of the vehicle turned off the car’s headlights and exited the interstate at Ruff Creek. He drove through a stop sign at the intersection with Route 221, and then got back on the interstate. The car continued to travel north on I–79 until it reached the Marianna interchange, located in Amwell Township, where it tried to exit. It careened over a hillside where the ramp curved, according to police. There were no other vehicles involved in the crash.

Trooper Broadwater indicated that the trooper who pursued the car did not contact it with his cruiser or perform any tactical maneuver to force the driver to lose control.

A 17-year-old boy and two adult males were injured. None of the injuries were life-threatening. The boy was taken to UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, and the men were taken to UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh.

Doryian Dewayne Williams, age 18, of White Haven, and William Lee Ross, age 20, of Latrobe, were both charged with fleeing police, receiving stolen property, criminal conspiracy, and several traffic violations. The teenage boy, who is from Fairmont, West Virginia, was not identified by state police.

Trooper Broadwater was not able to say who was driving the vehicle when it crashed. He said that Greene County juvenile probation was contacted after the crash.

Stealing a car is never a good idea, but fleeing the police is even worse, and these young men are starting their adult lives on a very bad note. The fact that it became a high-speed chase just compounds the issue. Engaging in a high-speed chase is a felony of the third degree, and comes with expensive fines, a driver’s license suspension, and time in prison. The traffic violations are the most minor of the charges the boys face, or at least, the driver will, once he is identified.

The gravity of the conspiracy charge is determined by the gravity of the other offenses, and since both the high-speed chase and the receiving stolen property are likely to be charged as felonies, the conspiracy charge will probably also be a felony. So, these boys are looking at some serious consequences.

That’s not to say that we should write the young men off. A well-trained defense attorney can examine their cases and present them with defense options that can make a difference in their outcome. For example, did one of the boys in the car steal it? Or did they borrow it with permission from the person who did? Did they even know it was stolen? Is there video footage from the officer’s car of the chase? If not, were the boys really speeding?

It will be important for these three young men to be completely honest with the attorneys they hire. The charges they face are too severe for them to be coy. If they expect to get their charges reduced or dismissed, the attorneys need to be fully informed of every minor detail. There’s nothing worse than getting to court and discovering that your client did or said something that he never told you about.

I hope they choose well. If they do, they’ll get excellent representation from hard-working, aggressive attorneys. If they don’t, I would not want to be in their shoes.

I also hope they learn a lesson from this misadventure.

Bryan Kin Laberdee, age 39, was arrested after he, according to police, drunkenly fired shots from a handgun. The incident happened on May 4th. In addition to the endangerment charges, Mr. Laberdee was charged with public drunkenness, disorderly conduct, and resisting arrest.

State troopers were dispatched to Laberdee’s Moon Road address after a caller had reported shots fired in the area of his house. When troopers, one of whom was Trooper Brian Rousseau, arrived on the scene, Laberdee appeared to be “extremely intoxicated.” He refused troopers’ commands to come down off the porch.

Rousseau said in court papers that he entered the porch as Leberdee was attempting to enter the home. Mr. Leberdee actively resisted Rousseau’s attempts to get him to come down from the porch and was taken to the ground.

According to a witness, Laberdee fired four or five shots from his house. Two children, aged 10 and 11, were inside the house at the time. They reportedly said Laberdee fired his 9mm handgun outside. It isn’t known if the children were related to Mr. Laberdee. Three shell casings were found on the porch.

Rousseau said the area of Moon Road and Windsor Road where Laberdee lives is “heavily populated” and that four neighbors were put in danger by his shooting. No injuries were reported.

Mr. Laberdee was arraigned Saturday morning in the court of District Judge Joshua Kanalis. Bond was set at $10,000. No attorney was listed in the court record as representing Laberdee, and jail records in Washington County didn’t list him as an inmate Saturday afternoon.

Where to begin with this … some of Mr. Laberdee’s charges aren’t so bad compared to others. Disorderly conduct and public drunkenness are relatively minor misdemeanors. Reckless endangerment, however, is a second-degree misdemeanor. Firing a weapon indiscriminately, if it can be proven that Mr. Laberdee did so, is one of the situations that can trigger a reckless endangerment charge, because the possible consequences of that act can be foreseen, and it is considered dangerous in any situation. This charge alone has the potential for a jail sentence of up to two years and a fine of up to $5,000.

The child endangerment charges are a first-degree misdemeanor for a single charge. If a person has made it a habit to endanger their children, the offense becomes a third-degree felony. The state takes these charges very seriously, as they do all crimes against children.

There are, of course, defenses available to Mr. Laberdee, one of which is that no one was injured. Another is that he was negligent rather than reckless when he shot the gun. Of course, it must be proven where he did the shooting. Was it outside, as the children said, or was it inside the house? Was Laberdee shooting for the sake of shooting, or was he defending himself or his home? Comments on the newspaper website indicate that such behavior is common in that area. While being common doesn’t make it right, it does mean that Laberdee may not have intended to endanger the kids.

Given the circumstances, it’s possible that a plea deal will be in Mr. Laberdee’s best interests. Taking a plea deal would mean he pleads guilty to lesser charges in exchange for the prosecutor dropping the more severe ones. This is a common tactic in criminal defense, and is used in more cases than you might think. It’s actually a bad idea most of the time to go ahead with a jury trial. Most clients end up losing when they face a jury, and the convictions they end up with are more severe than the ones they would have pled to.

We all know guns and alcohol don’t mix. I hope this man hires a good attorney to help him out. I get the feeling he’s going to need the assistance!

For most motorists, the associated weight-limit signs don’t mean much because they don’t really apply. While those of us who own sedans, coupes and pickups might not pay much attention to them, for the commercial truck drivers among us, they need to be seen and respected.

Because if a truck driver gets busted for a violation on size or weight limits, it’s a really, big, messy, expensive deal.

How big, messy and expensive?

For one Florida long-haul driver passing through Pennsylvania for a delivery, it was four-days-in-jail-and-a-$17,000-fine big, messy and expensive.

Here’s what happened: Last month the truck driver allegedly confused an Alpine Road in Canonsburg with the more rural Alpine Drive in abutting Cecil Township. The problem? The guy’s 40-ton truck was way over the posted weight limit there, which was just 10 tons.

According to an Associated Press report on the matter, a local district magistrate threw him in jail after he was unable to post a $10,000 bond that would secure his appearance at his preliminary hearing regarding the more than $17,000 fine. But that’s not all: The judge also ordered the truck be impounded until that entire fine was paid.

I wish I could say this was an anomaly – but it’s not. As both a Pennsylvania and West Virginia criminal defense attorney, I routinely represent commercial truck drivers facing serious traffic violations similar to the one that landed our Florida driver in jail for a few days.

While police said a better GPS might have improved that long-haul truck driver’s fate, it’s worth noting that out-of-state truck drivers have to be ever vigilant in the Keystone State. That crumbling infrastructure I mentioned earlier? It causes detours, and those detours often meander onto less-traveled throughways with a lower weight limit.

And that’s to say nothing of the zoning laws (ones that could have a place of business located in a residential area with roads with posted weight limits too low for the tractor-trailers to be able to deliver there legally – and it happens. I represented a guy who had a similar experience).

Here’s another twist (file it under #truckerproblems): For long-haul truckers from states like Virginia and North Carolina, even if so-called lesser traffic violations such as going five miles over the posted speed limit (an infraction that compels no points on a Pennsylvania license) can make a quality criminal defense lawyer a necessity. That’s because, in those states, motorists begin accumulating points as soon as they go even one mile over the speed limit.

How would the driver’s home state even know about the ticket and fine? The answer is that most states in the U.S. are part of a thing called the Driver’s License Compact, which requires member states to share that information with a driver’s home state.

And points, while a concern for most motorists, could be like Kryptonite to a CDL driver. Too many points = bye, bye livelihood.

I know: I routinely represent guys like the Florida gentleman – people who don’t necessarily want to fight a traffic ticket, but who need to because, in some cases, their jobs depend on it.

To my long-haul driver friends, a bit of advice: Don’t tempt fate – get a quality GPS, keep the maps updated, and be extra careful on Pennsylvania roadways. Yes, the GPS units designed for truckers cost ten times as much, but a $600 expense is far better than the $17,000+ fine the guy mentioned above had to pay.

And as always: if you get into a jam, call me. I deal with this stuff all the time. I routinely represent both everyday motorists, as well as commercial truck drivers in Ohio, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania and have routinely gotten great results – sometimes successfully getting fines lowered or points reduced.

While St. Patrick’s Day isn’t technically until March 17, Pittsburgh’s annual parade commences at 10 a.m. Saturday, when the green beer will be flowing, girls in “Kiss Me I’m Irish” T-shirts will be wooing, and many will be asking themselves and others, “Where’s the closest public bathroom?”

Regardless of whether you’re hitting the St. Patrick’s Day parade or attending a more private kegs and eggs event, please note that, whatever your plans, you don’t want them to end with a need to call me (i.e., Your Friendly Neighborhood Pittsburgh Criminal Defense Attorney).

And trust this Pittsburgh Criminal Lawyer when he tells you: Plenty of St. Patrick’s Day revelers find themselves in need of legal representation following such celebrations.

While DUI defense is a focus of my practice, I don’t want anyone reading this blog to think for a second that drinking and driving is the only charge that can get you into hot water while you’re getting your Irish on.

I applaud those folks who plan ahead, select a designated driver, arrange for a car pool, a cab or for a ride home thanks to the fine folks at the Port Authority of Allegheny County.

But if you’re partying it up downtown, beer in hand, you could be charged with an open container violation.

You aforementioned woo girls? If you get too rowdy, you could be charged with public drunkenness.

Spill a beer on someone and get into a shoving match? That could mean a citation for harassment or simple assault. Can’t find that public bathroom and decide to make Mother Nature your commode?

Then you could face a public urination charge.

And though St. Patrick’s Day is one dominated by green, if you burn one in public and get caught holding, you could celebrate your Irish heritage with a marijuana possession charge.

Being a Pittsburgh Criminal Lawyer, all I am saying is this: Be careful if you’re partying it up in Pittsburgh during this St. Patrick’s Day weekend.

Because, if you rely on the luck of the Irish, you might later be depending on the kindness and experience of a Pittsburgh Criminal Defense Attorney like me.

Getting arrested is the quickest way to ruin your fun, and the pain of the event will go on and on. City officials and police officers are determined to keep Pittsburgh as clean and welcoming as possible, and that means being strict in the enforcement of laws. Some of these charges I have mentioned can lead to jail sentences and hefty fines, meaning your couple-hundred-dollar spend for the holiday weekend could become a couple-thousand-dollar spend in the coming weeks.

Oh, and don’t fight the cops if you do get arrested. Assault on a police officer is an even worse charge with matching penalties. If you do get busted, go along with what the officers tell you.

Any kind of a criminal offense in Pennsylvania can subject you to a very harsh penalty and a severe consequence for your future. Not only will you have to pay a huge amount of fines but may also have to experience a substantial period of jail time.

If you establish a serious criminal record, it will put your entire life at stake. These records not only affect your academic reputation, but also endanger your entire career as a whole. Such records are accessible to the public and may also be available to your future employers so it might take a toll on your job opportunities too. Therefore, try not to get caught up in such complex situations.

And by chance, if you really get stuck in such dire circumstances, immediately get in touch with an experienced and skilled Pittsburgh Criminal Defense Attorney who can guide you with the right legal advice.

Warning: Don’t try this at home!

Spoiler Alert: This Pittsburgh criminal defense lawyer handles more than his fair share of drug cases – and I’ve never seen anything quite like it. Any experienced Pittsburgh drug lawyer will do a careful scrutiny of all the evidence and try their best to get the victim out of such a situation.

Here’s the deal – the man called police Wednesday to report he had been grabbed by the neck, pulled out of his car, beaten, and robbed at gunpoint while engaging in a drug deal. He told state police officers his alleged attackers broke his car window to remove him, and then stole his car keys, cell phone, wallet, and…marijuana.

Yes. The young man in question admitted to police that he had weed stolen from him. Usually, when you are found in possession of drugs, you would need the help of a Pittsburgh drug lawyer, but this was Marijuana, which is considered to be more of a minor criminal offense here.

Now for the part that surprised me: While the man’s alleged attacker is behind bars, the dude who called to report that he had the weed stolen from him wasn’t charged.

The attacker had set up a drug buy with the guy and then brought the two men who carried out the attack to the scene, intent on stealing the pot. He was charged with conspiracy to commit robbery and theft by unlawful taking. His accomplices fled the scene.

Because let’s face it – there aren’t many instances where a person can admit criminal activity and not get reprimanded for it.

Being a renowned Pittsburgh criminal defense attorney, I’m happy to hear that the young man is safe, and that his alleged attacker was charged. Some could say he is lucky to be alive, considering that two men allegedly dragged him from a vehicle, beat him, and then pointed a gun at his head.

I feel comfortable saying that he is absolutely lucky he didn’t find himself in need of a Pittsburgh criminal defense lawyer who understands how to try a drug case.

Because while so many people seem to consider marijuana one of the lesser drugs – a substance quite unlike heroin or crack or Oxycodone—in the eyes of the law, it’s not “just weed.” Therefore, anyone caught with Marijuana or convicted of any charges related to Marijuana is going to need a Pittsburgh criminal defense attorney.

If you do find yourself in that situation, give the Pittsburgh criminal defense attorneys at Logue Law Group a call. My associates and I will be happy to help.

Don’t wait to ask for assistance. The longer you wait, the more difficult it will be to get your charges reduced or dismissed. Contact us today at 412.387.6901 or 412.387.6901. We are available 24/7. You can also contact us online.

Update May 20, 2019

I thought it behooved me to give an update on this story, given laws passed in the last few years.

Marijuana for medical use has now been legalized. There are specific ways you can legally ingest it – vapors being one and smoking not – and specific medical conditions that can be treated with it. There are 21 of those medical conditions, chronic pain, multiple sclerosis, cancer, and glaucoma being just a few.

That being said, you cannot just grow your own on your patio and smoke it. That’s still illegal, and, if the young man in the original part of this post were in the same situation today, he’d still be getting away with a crime, because selling pot on the street remains illegal.

You can only get medical marijuana from a registered physician and at a registered dispensary. The Department of Health has a website with all the details, if you need them click here.

So, I just want to say it now: Don’t be That Guy.

You know him. You’ve driven behind him during some winters past. He’s driving in the left-hand lane on state Route 19, with only a tiny circle of defrosted rear-windshield showing, snow piled on his roof and a chunk of ice trembling precariously from the rearview mirror.

This gentle reminder comes from a Pittsburgh criminal defense lawyer who handles a fair share of traffic tickets.

And yes, you can get a traffic ticket for being The Guy with All Kinds of Snow and Ice on His Car – it isn’t just an old wives tale.

That’s thanks to a Pennsylvania law enacted in 2006 that calls for motorists to remove snow and ice from their vehicles. The rationale is, it could get dislodged and possibly strike another vehicle or pedestrian, causing serious injury or even death.

The impetus for the law was the death of a woman whose windshield was shattered by ice that fell off a tractor trailer rig in 2005. The statute that addresses this is Title 75 Section 4524.

That means that if you’re That Guy driving on the interstate without having taken the time to clear off your vehicle, and a police officer driving behind you sees snow or ice fall from it, you could get a ticket. This is what is known as a “primary offense,” which means officers can stop you without other justification to go along with it.

And that means that you could end up paying a fine of at least $200 and as much as $1,000 for each offense. If snow or ice comes off your car and kills or injures someone, the fine is the higher one.

Don’t think you can just start the car and let it run for a while to clear it off. Leaving a car running and unattended is illegal, as well.

Any sort of traffic violation is taken quite seriously in Pennsylvania. So, if you get a ticket don’t think that you can pay the fine, accept your PennDot points, let your insurance rates go higher and do away with it. You can and should fight your ticket. There can be quite serious repercussions for getting a ticket and it can pose a great amount of problems. And thus, you need to hire an experienced Pittsburgh Traffic Ticket Attorney immediately. PennDot will continue to accumulate points to your driving record for the alleged violation. It can cause severe complexities such as hundreds and even thousands of dollars extra for car insurance premiums and run the risk of your license getting suspended if you keep accumulating such points.

A clean driving record is something which is always worth fighting for. So, if you are keen on fighting against the traffic tickets, or getting all the traffic charges against you lawfully reduced or dismissed, you must hire a reputed and skilled criminal defense attorney. A proficient attorney will also have a considerable amount of experience with regard to such charges so he will not only be well-versed and know which strategies to use, but also save you a significant amount of insurance costs for years. There are many reputed Pittsburgh Traffic Ticket Attorneys in this city, but you must be careful while hiring one.

Again, I’m a Pittsburgh criminal defense lawyer who deals with traffic tickets such as these ones all the time, and I would be happy to represent your interests in court.

But it might just be easier to give yourself a few extra minutes tomorrow – and before every snow-filled commute – to heat up your car and scrape off all the white stuff.