Legal Blog

As experts in our craft we like to provide our past, current and future clients, as well as our community with resources to better help them navigate the complex world of criminal law. Whether you're seeking guidance in one of our practice areas, looking for practical tips to navigate legal challenges or simply finding a deeper understanding of your rights, our blog is designed to be a valuable resource to you.

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Please note, our legal blog is intended for informational purposes only. While we strive to offer accurate content, the legal landscape is constantly changing and no blog can substitute personalized advice and guidance of a qualified attorney. For a free consultation, please contact us directly.

New Changes Coming To The Occupational Limited Licenses Law In Pennsylvania

How The Change Will Affect Your Ability To Get One If You Are Convicted Or Already Convicted Of A DUI In Pennsylvania? Occupational Limited Licenses A Thing Of The Past? Pennsylvania Occupational Limited Licenses are a special license that individuals can apply for through Pennsylvania Department of Transportation. This license is issued to an individual that had their general license suspended for a period of time. This special license allows that individual to drive and operate a vehicle to go…

What is LSD and how Manchester and Associates defends against LSD charges in state and Federal Court

LSD is the abbreviation for the chemical compound lysergic acid diethylamide, originally known as LSD-25 and sold under the brand Delysid in the 1940’s through the 1960’s. LSD was synthesized from ergotamine, which is a derivative of ergot, a grain fungus that grows on rye. LSD is usually ingested orally so it is found in many different forms, including blotter paper, sugar cubes or gelatins. This type of evidence is sensitive to light, heat, oxygen and chlorine so it needs…

Levels of Detention

In an earlier blog I discussed the misconceptions of Miranda warnings and talked about the different levels of police detention. In this article I will discuss these levels in more detail and your rights as a citizen during each level. Police Detention Levels In Pennsylvania there are three main levels of interactions with police. They are the “mere encounter” “investigative detention” “custodial detention” These levels are extremely important when dealing with search and seizure issues with the 4th amendment of…

Interesting facts about the U.S. and Pennsylvania Constitution

While reading the American Bar Association journal today I came across an interesting article on misconceptions about our US Constitution. This got me thinking about our US Constitution and our PA Constitution and other general misconceptions with the law. The article discussed some general misconceptions like, that fact that most of our rights do not come from the Constitution but from the Bill of Rights which was passed several years after the current US Constitution. The article also touches on…

Your Miranda Rights

We’re all familiar with it – “You have the right to remain silent” and so on and so forth. This phrase is part of the Miranda Warning, otherwise known as your Miranda Rights. But you’ve probably never really dug into what these rights actually mean for you, so I will explain them here. Misconception about the Miranda Warning While reading the American Bar Association journal today I came across an interesting article on misconceptions about our US Constitution. This got…

Defending against Mushroom charges in Pennsylvania and Federal Courts

“Magic mushrooms” is a term used to describe any fungus that is capable of producing hallucinogenic effects. One of the most popular and commonly available of the “magic mushrooms” is Psilocybe Cubensis. There are several varieties within this species living within ecosystems found all over the world. The main psychoactive component in “magic mushrooms” is the pro drug psilocybin. A pro-drug is a compound that is biologically inactive on its own, but it breaks down into an active form. In…

Pennsylvania Non-Vehicular Alcohol Offenses

Non-Vehicular Alcohol Defense Lawyers The Law firm of Manchester & Associates is located in Bellefonte, PA in Pennsylvania. Our centralized location allows us to handle criminal defense cases cases throughout the State of Pennsylvania. At Manchester and Associates we understand that when people find themselves accused or charged with a crime, they have numerous questions about the PA judicial system. We also understand that people can feel stressed or anxious and even depressed when criminal legal situations occur. Our knowledge…

Not Guilty of Aggravated Assault

On May 15, 2014 Manchester and Associates Law Firm received a total not guilty verdict in Centre County. Defendant was charged with Aggravated Assault, Simple Assault, and Reckless Endangerment. Aggravated Assault is a first-degree felony punishable by a maximum of twenty years in state prison. The minimum sentencing range is 4-5.5 years in state prison. Aggravated Assault is one step below murder. After a day long trial and after exposing the weaknesses of the government’s case and the victim’s changing…

Union County Synthetic Marijuana Case Successfully Settled

On Thursday attorney Brian Manchester settled a synthetic marijuana case for probation. Defendant owned two stores. One was in Centre County and one was in Union County. The government alleged that Defendant was selling synthetic marijuana, also known as K2, Spice, or fake pot, from his stores in Centre County and Union County. His stores were raided in February and May of 2012. Some of the alleged substances were XLR-11 and UR-144 which the government claimed were analogues of JWH-018. Attorney…

Huntingdon County Manslaughter Case Successfully Settled

Today in Huntingdon County we successfully resolved a two year old case. Our client was charged with Involuntary Homicide and Negligent Care of an Elderly Person. A conviction on the latter charge would have guaranteed a lengthy state prison sentence. These charges stem from the death of a woman who unexpectedly walked out in the middle of the night from the nursing home our client owned. From day one all of the lawyers at Manchester and Associates working as a team…