General

Centre County Considering Creation of Drug Court

By Jason Dunkle on G+ According to an article in the Centre Daily Times, Centre County is considering the creation of a Drug Court to address the growing number of drug cases going through the Bellefonte court system. Centre County’s DUI Court, the first rehabilitative court in the county, has primarily been a success in… view more

Blair County Rules School Zone Sentencing Law Unconstitutional

Following the 2013 U.S. Supreme Court decision in Alleyne v. U.S., defense attorneys across the state of Pennsylvania have brought challenges to the constitutionality of various mandatory minimum sentencing laws related to felony drug convictions for delivery and possession with intent to deliver controlled substances. A constitutional challenge to mandatory minimum sentences for drug-free school… view more

Drunk College Student Turn Pumpkin Festival Into Riot

New Hampshire residents near Keene celebrate an annual pumpkin festival at which attendees try to set a world record of the largest number of carved and lighted jack-o-lanterns in one place. Sounds like it would be a nice family gathering. It just so happens that students from nearby Keene State College also attend. Regrettably, a… view more

Investigative Detention or Custody – Why Does it Matter?

By Jason Dunkle on G+ In a prior blog, I discussed interactions between police and citizens, noted the distinction between a mere encounter and an investigative detention, and used typical Penn State Underage Drinking investigations at a Penn State tailgate as examples of both. There is a third type of police-citizen encounter that occurs when… view more

Right to Vote & Bear Arms – Not a Right for Some Convicted Felons

By Jason Dunkle on G+ Today is election day, a day in which many Americans are taking advantage of their constitutional rights and casting a vote for the politician of their choice, or perhaps casting a vote for the lesser of two evils. While most U.S. citizens believe that rights set forth in the U.S…. view more