What facts does a police officer consider when he arrests a person for drugs and charges them with Possession with Intent to Deliver? Most people think that it is the sheer amount of the drugs that are found that will prompt the police to charge a person with Possession with Intent to Deliver or Distribute, but that is not always the case. Take the example of a woman who is found in possession of an “eight ball” of cocaine when her car is searched pursuant to a traffic stop. Continue reading
ARD Suspension Finished? Not So Fast.
As a Pennsylvania DUI Lawyer and PA Driver’s License Suspension Attorney, I have the opportunity to represent individuals that have received DUI charges and are then subsequently admitted into Pennsylvania’s Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition program, or ARD. This is a program where individuals with no prior criminal record enter into a pre-trial diversionary program, complete a term of non reporting term of probation, and then receive a dismissal of their criminal charges along with an expungement of their arrest once they complete the program successfully. Continue reading
Step by Step Guide: Step 3 - The Field Sobriety Test
Once a motorist’s vehicle is secure on the side of the road pursuant to the traffic stop, the officer will then make a determination as to whether the motorist is impaired. The officer’s first encounter with the driver will be when he or she comes to the driver’s side window and asks the driver to roll his or her window down for the purpose of informing the driver of the reason for the stop and to gather the driver’s credentials. Continue reading
Driving Under the Influence of Drugs in Pennsylvania
What most people don’t realize about the DUI charge in Pennsylvania as it relates to drugs is that a driver does not have to be under the influence of drugs to actually be convicted of DUI. Continue reading
A Tale Of Two Breathalyzers
During a DUI investigation, a drivers suspected of DUI may be asked to submit to two different breathalyzer tests. Its important to distinguish between the two because the purpose for each one, as well as the role they may play in a driver’s prosecution for the offense of DUI, are vastly different. Continue reading
Driving While Suspended and Not Even Know It?
There are literally a hundred reasons why a motorist can have their driver’s license suspended in the state of Pennsylvania and a lot of them have nothing to do with being convicted of a motor vehicle violation. Far and away the most common reason for a suspended license is the driver’s failure to respond to a ticket that they received at some point in their driving lives. Continue reading
Step-by-Step Guide: Step 2 – The Traffic Stop
In today’s society, law enforcement in all states are vigilant in its pursuit of drunk drivers. The police officer’s first contact with a suspected drunk driver is when that driver’s car is pulled over. This is known as a motor vehicle stop, and when you have been drinking, this is when your heart stops. Continue reading
Step-by-Step Guide: Step 1 – Drinking or ingesting drugs
Driving after consuming alcohol
The majority of driving under the influence (DUI) or driving after imbibing (DAI) arrests occur after a person had been at a bar, restaurant or private party and has consumed alcohol. Continue reading
A step by step guide to being charged with a DUI in Pennsylvania
If you have been arrested for driving under the influence (DUI) or driving after imbibing (DAI), it is essential that you contact an experienced Pennsylvania DUI attorney to thoroughly go over your case with you. Each case is different, and your defense should be as well! Continue reading
Man Exonerated After 14 Years Gets No Support from Supreme Court
It is not certain where John Thompson was one fateful night in December 1984, but one thing is clear: He was not robbing three children in Orleans Parish, Louisiana. Thompson’s innocence did not prevent the District Attorney’s Office in Orleans Parish from building a case against him for the robbery, or from failing to turn over blood evidence to the defense—a failure that would taint his ability to accurately defend himself against charges of robbery and murder. Continue reading