Month: July 2018
Pittsburgh drunk driving: Q and A
Law enforcement officers in the city of Pittsburgh are constantly on the lookout for individuals who are driving while impaired. Drunk driving can carry significant penalties if one is ultimately convicted — particularly for repeat offenders. Anyone charged with DUI is likely to have a lot of questions. This week’s column will answer some of the most commonly asked questions. Question number one is: What
What really happens after you are charged with a DUI?
Being charged with a DUI has serious consequences. The charge could result in heavy fines and even jail time in some cases. But what people sometimes do not think about are the other, long term and non-legal consequences of a DUI charge. These can be just as harsh and generally have a large impact on your future. Here are three other consequences you can suffer
A parenting agreement will help you after your divorce
Once your divorce is in the past, you have the opportunity to change your life for the better in the future. If you have at least one child with your ex-spouse, you need to create a parenting agreement during the divorce process. With this in place, both parents understand what they can and can’t do in the future. Although no two parenting agreements are the
Pleading guilty in a drunk driving case may be the right move
When facing DUI charges in Pennsylvania or elsewhere, knowing the right legal steps to take can be a challenge. It is okay to want to fight to protect oneself. Sometimes, the best way to fight a drunk driving charge is to plead guilty. How can that be? When wanting to avoid maximum punishment, pleading guilty may seem like the wrong thing to do. The truth
Driver who crashed into house charged with drunk driving
A young man was driving his car near Manchester Township when he crashed it into a home. Pennsylvania police were called to the scene and the driver arrested for drunk driving and other criminal offenses. The potential penalties if he is convicted can have long-lasting consequences, so he needs to approach this matter carefully in court. An experienced criminal defense attorney can help him do
Drunk driving charges bring permanent consequences
This month will make the first anniversary of a horrific triple-fatality crash in Bethel Park. Police attributed the deadly collision to drunk driving and speeding. There was just a single survivor from the one-car collision on Library Road that occurred one hot July night last summer. Three young women had been out bar-hopping on Pittsburgh’s south side and then stopped to pick up a fourth
Why reasonable suspicion is important in DUI cases
If you require defense for a DUI case, one of the most important aspects in the process is the officer’s role. The cop is the one that pulled you over to begin with, but what reason did the cop have for doing so? While Pennsylvania cops do not require a warrant to stop you and search your vehicle, they do require probable cause. Probable cause
How the HGN test tests for drunk driving
Pennsylvania residents who are thought to be driving under the influence of alcohol will likely be asked by law enforcement officers to participate in field sobriety testing. There are three standard tests. This week, this column will go cover the horizontal gaze nystagmus test and how it tests for drunk driving. What exactly is the HGN test? With the HGN, officers focus solely on a