Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Bench Trials In Pennsylvania Criminal Cases
Criminal defense lawyers often try to reassure defendants during their initial meetings that prosecutors face a difficult task. The jury cannot convict the defendant unless all 12 jurors are completely sure that the defendant is guilty. Therefore, your defense strategy can be anything that would cause the jurors to doubt your guilt. In some… Read More »
68 Years Of Miranda Vs. Arizona
Until the 1960s, most Americans did not think much about the Fifth Amendment, unless they were law students or criminal defense lawyers. The right to avoid self-incrimination sounds like an abstract concept until you are in a situation where it can make or break your criminal case. What would the world be like if… Read More »
Pittsburgh Area Doctor Pleads Guilty To Healthcare Fraud After Alleged Improper Prescribing Of Steroid Injections And Opioid Painkillers
Earlier this month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued new guidelines about prescribing opioid painkillers. The new guidelines give more freedom to doctors to use their judgment about the most appropriate dosage and duration for each course of opioids they prescribe. This change is an effort to correct the negative consequences… Read More »
Philadelphia Ecommerce Vendor Faces Fraud Charges For Alleged Scam Involving Wheelchair Accessible Cars
Ecommerce makes it easier and cheaper to buy almost anything than it used to be when you had to go to physical stores or wait for coupons to arrive with the day’s newspaper before you could compare prices. It also presents economic opportunities for people from all walks of life. Family caregiving obligations and… Read More »
Probable Cause And Terry Stops
The state does not have the right to incarcerate you unless you have been convicted of a crime, and yet it is possible for police to arrest you and detain you until your probable cause hearing. You cannot be convicted of a crime unless 12 jurors find you guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and… Read More »
Even Small Criminal Cases Are Worth Fighting
If you have never struggled with addiction, then the memoirs of a recovering addict during his or her days of using read like an adventure story. The protagonist communicates with drug dealers in euphemisms; they wait for just the right moment to hand over the drugs. No one is sure who to trust. The… Read More »
Pub Owner Who Appealed Assault Conviction Gets New Trial
The “no double jeopardy” rule means that the state cannot try you twice for the same offense, but exactly what counts as being tried twice? If the jury returns a not guilty verdict, then that verdict is final, even if the state later discovers additional evidence that it could have used against you at… Read More »
Is DNA Evidence Valid In Burglary Cases?
DNA evidence is one of the most important developments in forensic science in our lifetimes. As of 2024, 575 wrongfully convicted people have had their convictions overturned after DNA evidence revealed that their DNA was not present at the crime scene. We most often hear of DNA indicating a defendant’s innocence or guilt in… Read More »
Police Obtain Search Warrant After Undercover Officer Buys Drugs At Folcroft Residence
You have probably seen news stories where an undercover officer bought illegal drugs from a defendant, and as soon as the money and the drugs had changed hands, multiple police officers appeared out of nowhere and flashed their badges, making an arrest after a dramatic confrontation. That is not always how sales to undercover… Read More »
What Happens If You Get Arrested For An Unrelated Crime While You Are Out On Bond?
It is possible to face criminal charges for two unrelated offenses at the same time. Even though the Bill of Rights guarantees the right to a speedy trial, the time between the initial arrest and the trial. Judges have the option to set defendants whose cases are pending free until their trial dates, to… Read More »
