What Contributes to a Mistrial? … and What Does It Mean for My Case?

While most of us have heard the term “mistrial,” few people really understand what a mistrial means. A mistrial occurs when some error in the trial process makes justice impossible if the proceedings continue. Sometimes this means that the jury…

Trial By Judge or Trial By Jury – Things You Need to Consider

In the United States, every person has the right to a trial by jury when accused of a crime, but that doesn’t mean it is your only option. You can also choose a bench trial, or a trial by judge….

License Suspensions in DUI Plea Deals

Last year, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court handed down a decision that could permanently change DUI plea negotiations. Before, most plea deals for DUI charges considered license suspensions to be one of the more minor concerns to work out with the…

Cell Phone Surveillance Devices Being Used By Pennsylvania State Police

You probably have heard about cell phone surveillance being used before in the context of terrorism or national security, but what you may not know is that the devices used to monitor potential criminals’ data is now being used more…

Why You Shouldn’t Agree to Warrantless Searches

When a police officer pulls us over on the road, or knocks on the door of our home, it’s natural to feel anxious even when we’ve done nothing wrong. We’re conditioned to comply with whatever the officer asks for —…

Warrantless GPS Surveillance Allowed by U.S. Third Circuit Court

A new ruling by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit erodes Fourth Amendment protections for people accused of crimes by upholding the use of warrantless GPS tracking by a police department. The Fourth Amendment protects Americans from…

What is the Broken Window Theory and How do Pennsylvania Police Abuse It?

Police abuse is a hot topic that is constantly being debated in the news. In recent weeks, due to the Staten Island chokehold death and the Ferguson shooting, police abuse has been on our radars even more. Many people have…

Trials & Expert Testimony

Thanks to the many crime-solving television shows, most of us are familiar with the use of expert testimony in trials. Expert witnesses have specific knowledge, training, and/or experience to help the court understand particularly technical or complex elements of cases….