Mandatory Reporting: A Refresher Course Amid the New School Year
School is back – albeit different – yet the laws in place regarding child abuse and mandated reporting remain. They are as important and relevant today as they were before COVID-19 reached our shores. Over the past several years, amendments have been made to the Pennsylvania Child Protective Services Law (CPSL), including major reforms in 2013 and 2014.
Hiring a Criminal Defense Attorney: To Do or Not To Do
An arrest or indictment can be a frightening experience. The decisions you make will affect your freedom, your family and your financial well-being. One of the most important choices is finding the right criminal defense attorney and experience clearly matters. Experience alone is not enough. Reputation, preparation, attention to detail and access to expert witnesses are all critical to...
Cellphones and Privacy in the Spotlight on Both Sides of the River
Cellphones have been part of daily life for decades. Today, these powerful handheld devices are used for far more than calling family and friends. We use them to conduct business, bank online, search restaurants, make purchases, play games and literally find our way with directions. Whether for work or personal use, there is no end to the importance and reliance we place on cellphones.
Hearsay Evidence Alone No Longer Enough in Preliminary Hearings
The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania ruling further protects an individual’s rights to due process For the past 30 years, preliminary hearings have become a shell of what was intended by the justice system. Its procedural purpose to determine if there is enough evidence to bring a case to trial was reduced to, as some put it, a “rubber stamp” for prosecutors...
Unmasking the Post-COVID Criminal Court Room
The Challenges and Changes Needed to Balance a Defendant’s Rights and Overall Safety Jury trials are more than a standard in the American criminal justice system; they are a right. Specifically, the Sixth Amendment states: In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right to a speedy and public trial by an impartial jury of the state and...
“Zero-Tolerance” for Cannabis in Pennsylvania DUI Offenses May Soon End
State Senator Proposes Bill To Remove DUI Penalties for Registered MMJ Patients Without Proof of Impairment Despite the legalization of medical marijuana (MMJ), the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania still has a “zero-tolerance” statute. The current law prohibits the operation a motor vehicle with any amount of a Schedule I controlled substance, which includes...
Update: Pennsylvania Supreme Court Says “Yes” to Probationers with Valid Medical Marijuana
The Commonwealth’s Highest Court Reaffirms Immunity to Individuals Under State and County Supervision Earlier this year, we discussed the status of cannabis law and the inconsistencies in matters of individuals who violate state and county supervision (probation or parole). Whereas the Commonwealth position is (and has been) clear at the state level,...
I’m on Probation with a Valid Medical Marijuana Card – What Are My Rights?
Pennsylvania Supreme Court Takes Up This Question Governor Tom Wolf legalized medical marijuana in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 2016. THC-laden products became available two years later. Since then, there has been no shortage of questions and legal challenges surrounding its usage. One of the matters facing courts today is the question of...
COVID-19 and the Financial Implications for the Cannabis Industry
Congress Takes Steps In Supporting State-Legal Cannabis Companies In The Newest HEROES Act Package To say COVID-19 has changed the world is an understatement. It has impacted everyone, everywhere. No business or industry is immune, including cannabis. Congress has been working overtime to enact various financial relief packages yet for the most part,...