DUI
PA Court Rules DUI Blood Draw Law In Accident Case UnconstitutionalPosted in DUI on June 19, 2025
In a major decision that reshapes DUI enforcement in Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled on June 17, 2025, in Commonwealth v. Hunte (No. 16 MAP 2023), that warrantless blood draws from unconscious DUI suspects are unconstitutional under both the U.S. and Pennsylvania Constitutions. Key Takeaway The Court struck down Section 3755 of the Pennsylvania… view more
PA License Suspension in DUI Refusal Case For “Stalling” TacticsPosted in DUI on December 29, 2024
What Is Considered a Refusal in a Pennsylvania DUI Case? In Pennsylvania DUI cases, a police officer can require a driver to submit to chemical testing—such as a blood test or breathalyzer—if the officer has reasonable grounds to believe the driver is under the influence of alcohol or drugs. A refusal to submit to testing… view more
PA Court Upholds DUI Conviction Despite Officer Not Observing Defendant DrivingPosted in DUI on July 14, 2024
Many people me and ask “how can I be charged with DUI if the officer did not observe me driving?” In many of the cases, the person is sleeping behind the wheel of the car but not driving. In Pennsylvania, while the charge is Driving Under the Influence, the DUI law actually states that an… view more
Maryland PBJ is a “Prior Offense” of DUI in PennsylvaniaPosted in ARD, DUI, Prior Offense DUI on January 1, 2022
If you’ve been arrested for suspicion of DUI in Pennsylvania, your first instinct is probably to search online for answers. Understandably, people want to know what penalties they’re facing and how a prior offense might impact the outcome. Pennsylvania has some of the harshest DUI penalties in the country, including mandatory minimum sentences that increase… view more
Pennsylvania DUI Conviction Overturned Under Two-Hour RulePosted in DUI on November 21, 2020
Everyone knows that a normal DUI charge requires a prosecutor to present evidence at a trial that a person was driving and the person’s alcohol level was over the legal limit. In Pennsylvania, a driving under the influence charge for alcohol also normally requires that the blood or breath was drawn within two hours of… view more
Pennsylvania ARD No Longer a Prior Offense of DUIPosted in ARD, DUI on May 21, 2020
The Pennsylvania Superior Court issued a ground breaking decision and held that participation in Pennsylvania’s Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program for a DUI offense cannot be used to treat a subsequent driving under the influence case as a second or subsequent offense for mandatory minimum sentencing purposes. This decision will have a huge impact on… view more
Superior Court Overturns Cumberland County DUI ConvictionPosted in Constitutional Rights, DUI on May 10, 2020
The Pennsylvania Superior Court recently reviewed a Cumberland County DUI conviction and concluded that the original judge had incorrectly denied the suspect’s request for suppression of evidence. In the case, captioned Commonwealth v. Wallett 1677 MDA 2019, Wallett argued that her constitutional rights were violated when a police officer stopped her vehicle in a residential… view more
Pennsylvania Medical Marijuana and Drug DUI LawsPosted in DUI on July 3, 2018
In February of 2018, Pennsylvania residents were able to obtain medicinal marijuana. Regrettably, questions regarding the whether or not the marijuana can be “legally” possessed and “legally” ingested or consumed is still an issue. Pennsylvania law still generally prohibits a person from possessing marijuana, and the distribution or delivery of marijuana remains a felony offense. … view more
Factors that impact the accuracy of a breath testPosted in DUI, General on December 28, 2016
If you have ever been pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving, you may have been asked to submit to a breath test. Intended to give authorities an idea of how much alcohol you consumed and whether that consumption has negatively impacted your ability to safely drive, the breath test uses a device called a… view more
Amish Man Charged With DUI After Friend Rode on Buggy RoofPosted in DUI, General on September 12, 2016
The police are familiar with observing Amish buggies on roadways in rural Central Pennsylvania, but they do not often see young men riding on top of the buggies. Some Pennsylvania State Troopers in Indiana County recently encountered such a sight and conducted a traffic stop of the Amish buggy. The stop led to the discovery… view more