Media Pennsylvania Criminal Law Blog
The changing status of marijuana legislation in Pennsylvania
Governor Tom Wolf signed into Pennsylvania law the ability to have medical marijuana in the state. Not all residents in the state are gung-ho about having recreational marijuana decriminalized in the state. However, there are some local counties who have taken action...
Can I refuse a breathalyzer if pulled over?
After leaving the bar in Pennsylvania, you are pulled over. The officer has you step out of the car and requests you take a breathalyzer after suspecting you have had a few drinks. While you can refuse to take the breathalyzer, it may not be in your best interests to...
What affects the severity of DUI charges?
Driving under the influence is always a serious matter. In the past, however, Pennsylvania law considered all DUI offenses as misdemeanors, which carry comparatively lighter penalties than felonies. Times have changed, however, and as of December 2018, DUI may now be...
Key differences between burglary and robbery
Television shows, movies and books often use the terms burglary and robbery interchangeably. However, if you are facing charges in Pennsylvania, you will quickly realize they are very different. At The Law Offices of Joseph Lesniak, LLC, we often represent clients...
Can I face the same crime in federal and state courts?
You probably know the term double jeopardy. It is right afforded to you that guarantees you cannot face charges for the same crime more than once. Did you know, though, there is an exception to that rule? Say you face a charge for a crime in a court in Pennsylvania....
Seek help for your student’s underage drinking charge
When students head off to college for the first time, they are truly experiencing the freedom of adulthood. Because most college freshmen are not old enough to legally drink, however, the first week away at school coincides with a steep rise in underage drinking...
What affects drug possession sentences in Pennsylvania?
To possess illegal drugs in Pennsylvania is a crime. These controlled substances include marijuana, methamphetamine, cocaine, heroin and more. To be found guilty means that the prosecutor has valid proof that a person intentionally carried a controlled substance...
Unpaid debts misclassified as criminal theft charges by PA judge
It is not uncommon when someone is unable to pay his or her debts that the matter may be moved into civil litigation in the court of law. However, being unable to pay debts is a different thing than intentionally avoiding payments, which can land someone with a...
Joseph Lesniak Listed in the top one hundred Attorney’s in America
The Law Offices of Joseph Lesniak is proud to announce attorney Joseph Lesniak's selection as one of the top one hundred attorney's in America by the American Academy of Attorneys. This is a national organization of elite attorneys actively practicing law who are...
Joseph Lesniak named Super Lawyers Rising Star for 2018
I am very humbled to be named to the 2018 Rising Stars Super Lawyer list for Pennsylvania. Each year only 2.5 percent of all lawyers receive this distinction. It is an honored list for those lawyers who exhibit excellence in practice. This is my 3rd year in a row to...
