Pittsburgh Criminal and DUI Lawyer

‘Tis the season to be merry – Christmas time is one where family and friends gather to share a holiday meal, some holiday cheer and so many times, some holiday drinks. It should go without saying that law enforcement agencies beef up DUI enforcement around the holidays for this very reason. So, whether you prefer…

I’ve mentioned previously that criminal defense attorneys like me brace ourselves during the holidays for a blitz of criminal cases involving charges such as theft by unlawful taking (everything from holiday decorations to Salvation Army donation jars) to shoplifting. Anyone who is co-parenting with an ex should be aware that another charge we see during…

It’s a subject I read about in the news entirely too often: Law enforcement officials using excessive force. Maybe I’m just particularly sensitive to the issue because of my vantage point as a Pittsburgh Criminal Defense Attorney, but this latest story stuck with me. According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, two Pennsylvania constables have been charged with various…

It’s unspeakably tragic: A Perryopolis, Pennsylvania, police officer was killed recently while pursuing a vehicle in Perry Township. Despite activating his emergency lights, another vehicle turned in front of the officer, Richard Champion, causing a fatal crash. The driver of the vehicle who allegedly crossed into Champion’s lane of travel was taken to an area…

Thinking about a career in education? Want to coach your kid’s little league team? Be a PTA volunteer? Then you need to know about a new Pennsylvania law that expands the requirements for background checks. Starting Dec. 31, the new state child protective services law goes into effect, and it requires (among other things) that…

As both a criminal defense lawyer and a voracious consumer of news, I can tell you this: When it comes to crime, few offenses garner as much public outcry as ones that involve abuse of animals. One such story is one that happened this past January, and it is again dominating headlines: The stabbing death…

Earlier this week, I wrote about amendments to a new West Virginia law that permits motorists charged with driving under the influence to waive their DMV hearings and forgo the two-week license suspension/waiting period, and instead allow them to immediately opt to have ignition-interlock devices installed in their vehicles – a move that the state…

Here’s some news of note for Pittsburgh Criminal Defense Lawyer experience in DUI defense, and drivers alike: The Pennsylvania Superior Court this week ruled that standards for DUI checkpoints are applied to other types of checkpoints as well. In a court case, Commonwealth v. Garibay, the state argued that police officers must comply with what are known…

Writers have long pontificated on how the Christmas spirit compels people to be more altruistic – more caring– around the holidays. My favorite quote on the matter comes from Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol,” when Scrooge’s nephew tells him, “I am sure I have always thought of Christmas time, when it has come round –…

I wrote yesterday about the issue of crimes being perpetrated on or near college campuses (sometimes by college students themselves), and how prevention starts with an understanding of what crime is perpetrated and where. Today, I see a headline in the Observer-Reporter newspaper in Washington, Pennsylvania, detailing an alleged home invasion and robbery of a…