The laws on cocaine across the country differ significantly. While the possession and sale of cocaine is illegal in every state, state laws govern the severity of the penalties that offenders face, so it can be quite confusing to understand how the law applies to each...
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Criminal Law
What to know about drug possession charges in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, it is illegal for a person to possess certain drugs. That person is likely to be arrested, charged and sentenced if the prosecutor can prove beyond a reasonable doubt that they knew they were in possession of illegal drugs. However, there are defenses...
Establishing self-defense in an assault case
Often, there is more than one story when someone in Lancaster has been arrested for assault. It's not always clear who started the fight. The person the police arrested may actually have been the victim, not the aggressor. If you are the one charged with assault, the...
Juvenile crime: why a second-chance approach commonly features
As a Pennsylvania parent, do you ever worry about your kids? The answer to that is obvious, isn’t it? The unconditional love that moms and dads have for their children automatically features due concern for their well-being as they negotiate the path toward adulthood....
WHEN IS AN AGGRAVATED ASSAULT NOT A “CRIME OF VIOLENCE?”
Saeed Rasheed Johnson appealed from the aggregate judgment of sentence of ten to twenty years of imprisonment imposed after he was convicted of robbery and possessing an instrument of crime (“PIC”). Johnson contended that his prior conviction for aggravated assault in...
Expungement vs. a sealed record: Key differences
A criminal conviction does not disappear as soon as you fulfill your debt to society. Even small run-ins with the law linger for years. One mistake while young can prevent you from getting a decent job, securing housing or being accepted into college. How can someone...