Empowering Clients Through Legal Insights & Resources

Gun crimes in Philadelphia include illegal firearm possession, carrying without a license, using firearms during other offenses, and federal firearms violations prosecuted aggressively by both Philadelphia District Attorney’s Office and federal authorities. Pennsylvania law prohibits firearm possession by convicted felons, domestic violence offenders, and other prohibited persons (18 Pa.C.S. §

The difference between murder and manslaughter in Philadelphia centers on intent and circumstances—murder requires intentional killing or circumstances showing extreme indifference to human life, while manslaughter involves killing without malice aforethought, typically during sudden passion provoked by the victim or through reckless conduct. Pennsylvania law defines three murder degrees: first-degree

Plea bargain decisions in Pennsylvania criminal cases require weighing guaranteed outcomes against trial uncertainty, considering evidence strength, sentencing exposure, collateral consequences, and trial risks. Approximately 90-95% of Pennsylvania criminal cases resolve through plea agreements rather than trials, with defendants accepting negotiated guilty pleas in exchange for reduced charges, lower sentences,

Federal criminal charges in Philadelphia differ fundamentally from state charges in jurisdiction, investigation procedures, court systems, sentencing guidelines, and potential penalties. Federal cases are prosecuted by U.S. Attorneys in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania for crimes violating federal law—typically involving interstate commerce, federal property, federal

DUI defense strategies in Pennsylvania require challenging field sobriety tests, breathalyzer accuracy, blood test procedures, and traffic stop legality to protect your driving privileges and avoid criminal conviction. Pennsylvania’s tiered DUI system imposes increasingly severe penalties based on blood alcohol concentration (BAC), with general impairment (0.08-0.099%), high BAC (0.10-0.159%), and