With Halloween this week, you can expect many DUI checkpoints and arrests. This is the way law enforcement works. A high number of those arrested will inevitably be young adults or teenagers. Here is some information on underage DUI penalties: The Legal Penalties for an Underage DUI in Pennsylvania (BAC 0.02-0.159%) 1st Offense 2nd Offense 3rd Offense Prison…
read more »Month: October 2014
Does the Cop smelling marijuana really mean anything?
Another attorney recently emailed me asking me about what a cop smelling marijuana really means. It is a very interesting question because smell often comes up in cases involving alcohol and marijuana. Here are some thoughts: Just because someone’s clothes smell like marijuana (assuming that the cop identified it correctly which is not exactly a…
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When do prescription drugs expire in Pennsylvania? Warrantless Fishing expeditions in DUID cases by the Government
As more and more efforts by our government are being made to try to criminalize legitimate medical palliative care issued by a trained clinician, the more a DUI lawyer has to learn and know about the law and the science behind pharmacology. This is never more true than in the case of Driving Under the…
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Prescription Drug Database – Another Way Big Brother is Watching You
Recently, the State Senate approved legislation to create a database of patients taking prescription drugs. The idea is to give doctors tools to see if the same patients is getting prescriptions from multiple doctors and abusing prescription medication. Sounds like a good idea, right? The good idea turns creepy when we find that District Attorneys and…
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PA senate votes to ignore the presumption of innocence
When is a person guilty of a crime? When they are charged by a police officer, or when they are convicted beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law after due process? We all would like to believe the latter is true. Unfortunately that is not always the case. Pa. Senate votes to close…
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Do Police Really Care About “Public Safety” When It Comes to DUI?
Law enforcement is a money making endeavor. There really is no doubt about it. They use buzzwords like “public safety” but their actions and tactics tell a totally different story. The whole “War on DUI” exposes this fallacy. Every weekend, police setup patrols targeting areas around popular bars and clubs. People drive drunk. The police…
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Charged with a DUI? What’s NEXT?
A DUI offense is a serious, often life-altering event. If you were arrested for the first time, you may be asking yourself “What’s next?” No one plans on getting a DUI, so you probably have no idea what you are in store for. You’re probably scared. Here’s what you can expect to happen in the very…
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