General

State College Burglar Steals Sandwich and Sauces

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

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

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?

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

Defense Lawyers for PSU Administrators Claim Privilege Prohibits Testimony

THe criminal defense lawyers for former Penn State Administrators Tim Curley and Gary Schultz are trying to prohibit former General Counsel for Penn State, Attorney Cynthia Baldwin, from testifying against them in their upcoming preliminary hearings.  The criminal defense lawyers claim that Curley and Schultz believed that Baldwin was  representing them when they appeared before… view more

Failure To Mirandize In State College Drug Possession Case

A Centre County judge recently issued an opinion in a State College misdemeanor drug possession case in which the criminal defense lawyer sought suppression of statements made by the defendant because the officer did not advise the defendant of her Miranda warnings.  The judge’s decision granted the suppression of some statements, but the judge also felt… view more

Is “Flipping the Bird” Legal in Pennsylvania?

By Jason Dunkle on G+ While many people “flip off” or give others the bird in public, I often wondered if it was actually legal. Oddly, while I have been a criminal defense lawyer since 2004, I didn’t actually know the answer to that question until recently. Just because many people do it doesn’t mean… view more