General

Ohio Judge Imposes Unique Sentences on First Time Offenders

Posted in ARD, General on January 12, 2015

After being a criminal defense attorney in State College for almost 11 years, I have seen Pennsylvania judges impose sentences on thousands of people, and those sentences generally include a period of jail time, probation, community service, payment of costs and fines, and completion of counseling. The sentences are relatively uniform, and in many cases,… 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

Death Penalty is Alive Well In Centre County

Posted in General on January 12, 2015

By Jason Dunkle on G+ I recently saw a question posted online inquiring whether or not the death penalty was still legal in the U.S.  Not only is the death penalty legal, Pennsylvania was prepared to execute its first inmate 13 in years before a stay was issued by a Pennsylvania court.   I find… view more

Date Rape Drug-Detecting Cups at Penn State Parties?

Posted in General on January 12, 2015

By Jason Dunkle on G+ A Boston company claims to have made a material that changes color when it comes into contact with date rape drugs. The creator is hoping to use the material to create cups, stirrers, and straws that would alert a drinker that someone had slipped a date rape drug into a… view more

“Flipping the Bird” Can Get You into Trouble

Posted in Constitutional Rights, General on January 12, 2015

By Jason Dunkle on G+ Two recent cases put the spotlight on giving a person “the bird”, or “flipping them off”, and whether such a gesture is protected by the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.  In one case, a police officer was the target, but, in the other, the person had the audacity to… view more

Meth Strikes Again – Must Man Pay $160,000 in Restitution?

Posted in General on January 12, 2015

By Jason Dunkle on G+ A man, lost in a California forest for several days, may be forced to pay for the costs of the rescue efforts after being charged with drug possession.  The man and a female companion were found after a large scale search and rescue effort, an effort that cost an estimated… view more

Pennsylvania DUI Lawyer Accepted Oral Sex In Lieu of Payment

Posted in General, Legal Ethics on January 12, 2015

By Jason Dunkle on G+ In a relatively routine situation in Pennsylvania, a woman was charged with driving under the influence, and she met with a DUI attorney to discuss representation. The current DUI was a second offense because the woman had previously completed the Pennsylvania Accelerated Rehabilitative Disposition (ARD) program. At the meeting, the… view more