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A police officer detains you and wants to ask you questions. They say that you’ve been accused of selling illegal drugs. You’re not necessarily under arrest, but they are conducting their investigation and want to learn more. During this process, the officer asks you...
If an individual is charged with criminal activity, there may be some clear penalties. For example, many people will face severe fines and jail time. Fines can exceed thousands of dollars and incarceration can go on for decades depending on the severity of the crime....
Most criminal cases in the country are resolved through plea deals. Here is how this works. You agree to plead guilty or no contest to the charges against you in exchange for a lesser sentence or some other concessions by the prosecution. The whole point of a plea...
As the digital landscape expands, so does the incidence of cybercrimes. Any industry that relies on computers to get work done is vulnerable to exploitation from hackers and other cyber bad actors. This includes the education sector, where faculty and students rely...
One of the highlights of college life is the many clubs, sports teams and social organizations a student can join. However, several of these organizations have a dark side: as a rite of initiation, senior members would subject new recruits to hazing. Hazing methods...
There are various reasons for a drug test. Maybe an employer wants to ensure that prospective new hires are free from the influence of illegal substances. Or a sports organization wants to test if student-athletes aren’t taking any performance-enhancing or...
Per Pennsylvania law, driving while drunk or under the intoxicating effects of a controlled substance is illegal. Inebriation impairs a driver’s ability to react and motor skills, making them a danger to themselves and others on the road. The state also has laws that...
Violent crime takes place in Pennsylvania, just as it does in any other state. However, crime rates show that Pennsylvania actually has slightly less crime than the national average. The national median has been measured at four violent crimes for every 1,000...
You might think that of all the various things that Pennsylvania prohibits, underage drinking is one of the least damaging to society. Children will grow up and eventually start drinking alcohol when they’re older, so what’s wrong with letting them have a sip now and...
Often, people who are facing charges – particularly when they involve criminal activity that involves multiple people – have information that can be valuable to law enforcement and prosecutors. That information can be a bargaining chip to get their own charges...
Many of our basic rights and protections as Americans come from language included in the U.S. Constitution. The protection against “unreasonable searches and seizures” is included in the Fourth Amendment. With some exceptions, that means law enforcement officers can’t...
An unlawful search and seizure can have a great impact on the outcome of your criminal case. The U.S Constitution outlines several protections for the citizens against government overreach. Specifically, the 4th Amendment protects Americans from unreasonable search...
That cellular device you keep in your hand or pocket is really a powerful little computer that can do incredible things and hold a ton of information. If you’re like most people, you keep a lot of personal information on your device – and you may not fancy the idea of...
One of the most common mistakes that people make with estate plans is that they only think about their assets. They think about the items that they own or the money they still control in various accounts. They believe that the point of the will or the estate plan is...
When you are charged with a crime, and you know the evidence against you is overwhelming, one of the options you can consider is a plea bargain. A plea bargain offers a variety of benefits such are removing the uncertainty that the trial might bring. However, a plea...
