General

Another Penn State Underage Drinker Injured After Fall from Balcony

Posted in General on January 12, 2015

By Jason Dunkle on G+ A 19-year-old engineering student recently fell sixteen feet from the balcony of a State College Apartment building and suffered a broken leg. The State College Police Department suspects that alcohol was involved, which is not surprising in a college town as alcohol and drugs tend to be involved in the… view more

Heading to Court, Leave Illegal Drugs at Home

Posted in General on January 12, 2015

First, I need to emphasize that people should not possess anything that is illegal, be it drugs, a fake ID, stolen property, or any other form of contraband. However, if you are going to possess such things, leave them at home when you are heading to court. Most Pennsylvania court facilities require a person to… view more

State College Burglar Steals Sandwich and Sauces

Posted in Burglary, General on January 12, 2015

Most people have enough sense to refrain from breaking and entering into a house or place of business.  Those that do make the bad decision to commit such a trespass normally do so with the intent to steal something of value, such as electronics and money.  A State College burglar recently broke into into a… view more

Judge Resigns After Caught Texting Prosecutor During Trial

Posted in General, Legal Ethics on January 12, 2015

A Texas judge recently resigned after it was discovered that she had been texting a prosecutor during the trial. Not only was the judge texting the prosecutor, which constitutes ex parte communications, meaning communications without the defense side being present, but the content of the communications were intended to assist the prosecution’s case. The judge… view more

Posting Nude Photos of Ex Is a Crime in Pennsylvania

Posted in General, Invasion of Privacy on January 12, 2015

Many people are now aware of the recent passage of “revenge porn” statutes across the country, but many people do not even know what the phrase “revenge porn” means. Generally speaking, it often arises in the context of one person posting naked or nude photos of an ex-paramour or spouse on social media sites such… view more

Will Penn State Decriminalize Possession of a Small Amount Marijuana for Personal Use?

Posted in General, Penn State Marijuana Possession on January 12, 2015

According to online news reports, the State College Borough is considering following the lead of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia and passing a local ordinance to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana. This does not mean that marijuana is now legal in Pennsylvania. In Pennsylvania, a person that possesses less than 30 grams of marijuana for… view more

Centre County PCRA Granted After State College Criminal Defense Lawyer Argued “Attorney Abandonment”

Posted in Appeal, General on January 12, 2015

By Jason Dunkle on G+ I represented a Centre County client in a Post Conviction Relief Act (PCRA) in which two prior defense attorneys had failed to file documents in a timely manner and thereby prevented the courts from considering the client’s appellate arguments. When filing a PCRA petition, the defense lawyer generally claims that… view more

Penn State Students’ Response to Hurricane Sandy – Drink Hurricane Beer, Not Commit Criminal Activity

Posted in General on January 12, 2015

While some Penn State students took advantage of afternoon classes being canceled due to Hurricane Sandy by purchasing 40 ounce bottles of Hurricane malt liquor, there were no news reports of any increased criminal activity.  Regrettably, news reports have stated that some people in South Brooklyn were involved in looting and fights. Stressful situations sometimes… view more