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Excessive Drinking on College Campuses And Failure to Seek Medical Help Is A ProblemPosted in General on June 27, 2017
The recent death of Timothy Piazza has put underage drinking and excessive consumption of alcohol on college campuses into the spotlight again. The overconsumption of alcohol at Penn State is not a Greek Life problem, it is a university dilemma that is getting worse because it is not being addressed. I represent a lot of… view more
Going Topless at Pennsylvania BeachesPosted in General on June 23, 2017
Most people have probably read recent articles about women going topless at the beach in Ocean City, Maryland. I suspect that some people are curious if it could happen in Pennsylvania. The law that was discussed in Ocean City was Indecent Exposure. In Pennsylvania, the Indecent Exposure law generally prohibits a male or female from… view more
Pennsylvania Expungement ProcessPosted in Criminal Records/Expungement,Expungement on March 28, 2017
Criminal charges in Pennsylvania can create a permanent, publicly accessible record, even without an actual conviction. Just one mistake can generate repercussions you may continue to feel for the rest of your life, affecting your career prospects and social relationships. Fortunately, in some cases, Pennsylvania law provides the possibility of expungement. Getting a record expunged… view more
Bicyclist Convicted of Careless Driving After Flipping Off CopPosted in Constitutional Rights,General on January 2, 2017
Most people would not find a bicyclist flipping off a cop to be an interesting article, but, to a legal nerd like me, it is thought-provoking for a few reasons. First, the man’s name was David Smith. The Huntingdon County District Attorney is also named David Smith. While the idea that a local prosecutor would… 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
Santa Arrested After Gifting Marijuana at RestaurantPosted in Felony Drug Delivery / Possession with Intent to Deliver,General on December 22, 2016
A man got himself into some legal hot water after he decided to spread Christmas cheer by gifting marijuana to customers and employees at a California Buffalo Wild Wings restaurant. The man allegedly wrapped marijuana in napkins before handing it to customers. The man also must have been thoroughly impressed with the food and service… 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
Penn State Has Not Decriminalized Marijuana PossessionPosted in General,Penn State Marijuana Possession on August 30, 2016
As many people are aware, the State College Borough recently passed an ordinance to allow the State College Police Department to issue a non-traffic summary citation for a person who is caught smoking or in possession of less than thirty grams of marijuana. According to many online newspaper articles, this is being called the decriminalization… view more
State College Did Not Legalize Marijuana UsePosted in Penn State Marijuana Possession on August 5, 2016
While the State College Borough’s decision to pass an ordinance to create non-criminal charge to use if people possess less than 30 grams of marijuana is being touted as a “decriminalization of marijuana,” that simply is not the case. First, a police officer in State College may use the ordinance violation, but the officer is… view more
State College Borough Makes Marijuana Possession a Summary OffensePosted in General,Penn State Marijuana Possession on August 2, 2016
On August 1, 2016, the State College Borough passed an ordinance that created a new violation of the State College Borough code that made possession of less than 30 grams of marijuana a summary, non-traffic offense. According to the proposed ordinance, a person caught smoking in public will receive a non-traffic summary citation that will… view more