Williamsport Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Law Blog

Most drivers are, or should be, aware of the so-called legal limit. Under Pennsylvania law, and the law of every other state, it is illegal for drivers over age 21 to drive with a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of 0.08% or higher. Police who detain a driver can administer a BAC test. Drivers consent to these tests in advance, when they receive a driver's license. Any driver found to have a BAC of 0.08% BAC is said to have committed DUI per se. However, there is a lot more to the way Pennsylvania DUI law treats BAC.

Pennsylvania law recognizes three levels of DUI: General Impairment, High BAC and Highest BAC. General impairment refers to a BAC of 0.08%-0.99%. High BAC covers 0.10%-0.159%, and Highest BAC covers 0.16% or higher. Each category represents a different tier of penalties, with progressively higher penalties in each category, especially when the defendant has prior offenses.

When other people make questionable choices or mess up, they are often quick to remind you that everyone makes mistakes. However, when you have a record following you everywhere you go, you might find that people are not so quick to give you another chance to prove yourself.

A criminal background can hold serious consequences. It could prohibit you from going to college, getting a job or living where you choose. But thanks to some Pennsylvania court officials, you might have the opportunity to start over with a clean slate.

Although many drug arrests come about as a result of traffic stops and other encounters when police say they find illegal drugs in the defendant's possession, the authorities are always looking for ways to break up drug distribution networks. State and federal law enforcement often spend months investigating suspected drug rings, and then try to arrest a large number of people at once.

Recently, the FBI announced three indictments against 33 Pennsylvania residents it identified as suspected members of a drug network. FBI agents conducted a large operation to arrest the suspects. According to news reports, agents were able to find and arrest 30 of the individuals. Three were said to be still at large.

For years now, public health officials, lawmakers and police have struggled with what they call an opioid crisis. As highly addictive prescription opioid drugs hit the market, they spurred a market for illegal drugs with similar chemistry and effects. Some of these drugs are very powerful, and it is easy for users to accidentally overdose, especially when they don't know exactly what they are taking. One result has been a sharp increase in drug-related deaths in Pennsylvania and many other states.

One way Pennsylvania has dealt with the problem is through prosecuting homicide charges against people who supply the drugs in fatal overdoses. These charges are sometime called "drug delivery resulting in death" or "drug-induced homicide." Pennsylvania reportedly prosecutes these cases more than any other state. Prosecutors say these charges will deter people from abusing drugs, or at least spur dealers to be more careful about the drugs they sell.