Lancaster Legal Blog

Whether it was a tussle at your favorite bar, a dispute with a neighbor or an act of self-defense, if police arrested you on assault charges, you are likely concerned about what will happen next. However, when you learned that they intended to charge you with aggravated assault, you may have been confused and uncertain about how to proceed.

In Pennsylvania, a simple assault is typically a misdemeanor, depending on the circumstances. It can include actually striking someone or merely threatening or intimidating someone. Aggravated assault is a charge far more serious than simple assault. A conviction for this offense can have life-long repercussions, and facing this situation without quality legal counsel may be a mistake.

You and your spouse may be going through some tough times. In fact, the tough times may have been going on for a while, and you are now wondering if it is better to just cut your losses. After all, there comes a point where you are exhausted with the fight and longing for a more peaceful life.

It may not surprise you to learn that people who divorce have gone through similar struggles. However, you may not realize that happily married Pennsylvania couples also experience the kinds of troubles you and your spouse are facing. Psychologists believe that the different backgrounds and methods of dealing with stress that everyone has coming into a marriage play a vital role in how they endure marital conflict.

The Pennsylvania DUI statute, 75 Pa.C.S. Section 3802, defines driving under the influence of alcohol as driving, operating, or being in actual physical control of the movement of a vehicle after imbiding a sufficient amount of alcohol such that the individual is rendered incapable of safely driving, operating, or being in actual physical control of a vehicle.  This is called "general impairment."

The first question many people ask at the beginning of a custody consult is, "What's the process like?"  The custody process is dictated by the Pennsylvania Rules of Civil Procedure and the applicable custody statutes of Pennsylvania.  However, each county is tasked with implementing those procedures in the manner in which they deem to be judicially efficient.  So, the answer to that question often depends on what county the case will be litigated.