by Lea Bickerton | Dec 27, 2008 | Drug Crimes, Probation
In January 2009, Armstrong County will have a new probation officer who will specialize in offenders with serious drug and alcohol problems. This new program is separate from Armstrong County’s drug court. Additionally, violent offenders will not qualify for the...
by Lea Bickerton | Dec 2, 2008 | Burglary, Case Law Summaries, Drug Crimes
Commonwealth v. Springer 2008 PA Super 275Topic: Burglary Merger- Possession With Intent to DeliverSummary: Under 18 Pa.C.S.A. Section 3502(d), burglary does not merge with the offense intended to be committed inside the structure if the offense is a first or second...
by Lea Bickerton | Nov 19, 2008 | Case Law Summaries, Drug Crimes, Mandatory Sentence
Commonwealth v. Teeter 2008 PA Super 272Topic: Mandatory Sentence-Dealing Drugs near a Bus StopSummary: Where a person deals drugs within 500 feet of a bus stop, the mandatory minimum sentence will apply regardless of whether the stop is marked or if school is not in...
by Lea Bickerton | Nov 8, 2008 | Drug Crimes
The CrimProf Blog has an entry on a USA Today story about the inaccuracy of field test kits used by police to determine whether a suspect has drugs in his possession.The field test kits are used to make a preliminary determination of whether the suspect is in...
by Lea Bickerton | Nov 5, 2008 | Drug Crimes
Although Pennsylvania’s marijuana law is not as relaxed as the measure recently passed in Massachusetts, the possession of a small amount of marijuana is punished less harshly than possession of over 30 grams of marijuana.Under the current statute, possession of...
by Lea Bickerton | Nov 5, 2008 | Drug Crimes
On November 4th, the citizens of Massachusetts voted to soften the laws against the possession of a small amount of marijuana. Therefore, any found with an ounce or less of marijuana will be subject to a $100 fine and forfeiture of the marijuana. The new law takes...
