Category Archives: Drugs
Supreme Court Changes Rules for Police in DUI Arrests Just Ahead of July 4th Weekend
Generally, there are three ways that a police officer can test you for blood alcohol concentration (BAC) during a traffic stop. They can sample your breath, blood, or urine, however breath and blood are by far the most common methods used. In addition, all states have an implied consent law, which means that by driving on the road, you have agreed to submit to BAC testing. The implied consent laws also lay out punishments for refusing to submit to BAC testing. …Read more
MAKING NEW LAW IN MONTGOMERY COUNTY: Expunging Charges That Were Dropped In Exchange For A Plea
The Law Offices of James W. Flood, P.C. recently won a great victory for those seeking to expunge their records in Montgomery County. Our client had been previously arrested and charged with very serious felony offenses. After a full investigation and a vigorous defense, the serious charges were nolle prossed (dropped) and the client pled guilty to a minor offense. We petitioned to expunge the serious charges that had been dropped. However, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office opposed our request.
After a hearing, the Honorable Senior Judge William T. Nicholas granted the petition and ordered the expungement of the charges that had been nolle prossed at the time of the plea. …Read more
Sobriety Checkpoints Dilemma
An interesting series of videos have recently been making the rounds on social media, in which Florida attorney Warren Redlich demonstrates an innovative method for negotiating sobriety checkpoints.
Redlich’s strategy is to limit his interaction with the police, and to avoid giving police the opportunity to claim that they can smell an odor of drugs or alcohol from the vehicle or to allege that he is slurring his words. In doing so, …Read more
Increased Penalties When Enhanced Sentencing Guidelines Applied
Since the United States Supreme Court and Pennsylvania Supreme Court largely abolished mandatory minimum sentencing statutes in a string of decisions over the past two years, prosecutors in Pennsylvania have turned to other techniques to maximize sentences. One of these techniques is to apply enhanced sentencing guidelines when they are applicable.
In Pennsylvania, the Legislature has implemented guidelines to be followed in criminal sentencing. These guidelines are based on …Read more
A Word of Caution Regarding Shared Medical Information
The phrase “doctor/patient confidentiality” is often used to refer to the various legal protections that guard the privacy of communications between people and their physicians. HIPAA strictly regulates what a doctor can disclose and to whom. Additionally, patient-physician privilege laws prevent a doctor from disclosing information learned about a patient in the course of medical treatment, unless certain circumstances apply.
One such exception to the general rule of privacy involves mandatory reporting …Read more