With all of the huge celebrations from St. Patrick's Day this past weekend, many citations were issued and criminal complaints were filed by Police in the city of Pittsburgh for alcohol related offenses. So far since Saturday, our office has received numerous calls from individuals who have been charged with violations such as DUI, underage drinking, simple assault, and disorderly conduct just to name a few.
If you are one of the many who have received a citation over the weekend and are not sure what to do, you should contact our office immediately. You can scan or fax me a copy of your citation ( aimee@lawyerpaletta.com ) and we will contact you as soon as we review it. We can schedule a consultation ASAP to discuss what you should do. As an automatic response, besides contacting our office, you should plead Not Guilty and send in your citation to request a Summary Trial date.
Contact me for more questions! Feel free to call or E-Mail me!
Aimee
Paralegal to Attroney Paletta
aimee@lawyerpaletta.com
412.391.7999
Monday, March 19, 2012
Friday, March 2, 2012
Commonwealth v. J.L. (Preliminary Hearing)
FACTS/CHARGES: Defendant faced serious charges including the following:
TERRORISTIC THREATS - Felony 3
IMPERSONATING A PUBLIC SERVANT - Misdemeanor 2
DISORDERLY CONDUCT - Summary
CHECK OUT "ATTORNEY PALETTA'S RECENT CASE RESULTS" BLOG TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS CASE....
TERRORISTIC THREATS - Felony 3
IMPERSONATING A PUBLIC SERVANT - Misdemeanor 2
DISORDERLY CONDUCT - Summary
CHECK OUT "ATTORNEY PALETTA'S RECENT CASE RESULTS" BLOG TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THIS CASE....
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
"Pittsburgh Defense Attorneys Question Sandusky Strategy"
Attorney Paletta's view:
"Two veteran Pittsburgh defense lawyers questioned the decision by former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky's lawyer to waive his client's right to a preliminary hearing today.
Another Pittsburgh defense attorney, Joseph Paletta, said waiving the hearing "was certainly a reasonable decision under the circumstances."
One reason lawyers will do that is if an accuser doesn't appear or isn't available for the trial, the prosecutor could introduce the transcript of the witness's preliminary hearing testimony "to remedy that unavailability," Mr. Paletta said. Without it, the witness's no-show creates an "automatic win" for the defense at trial, he said.
Another reason supporting a decision to waive the hearing is that the victims' testimony was likely to be ugly and traumatic "with the likelihood that the case would be held for court anyway," he said."
Source: PostGazette, "Pittsburgh defense attorneys question Sandusky strategy" Jon Schmitz, Dec. 13, 2011
"Two veteran Pittsburgh defense lawyers questioned the decision by former Penn State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky's lawyer to waive his client's right to a preliminary hearing today.
Another Pittsburgh defense attorney, Joseph Paletta, said waiving the hearing "was certainly a reasonable decision under the circumstances."
One reason lawyers will do that is if an accuser doesn't appear or isn't available for the trial, the prosecutor could introduce the transcript of the witness's preliminary hearing testimony "to remedy that unavailability," Mr. Paletta said. Without it, the witness's no-show creates an "automatic win" for the defense at trial, he said.
Another reason supporting a decision to waive the hearing is that the victims' testimony was likely to be ugly and traumatic "with the likelihood that the case would be held for court anyway," he said."
Source: PostGazette, "Pittsburgh defense attorneys question Sandusky strategy" Jon Schmitz, Dec. 13, 2011
Thursday, November 17, 2011
General Tips & Information for Clients
Below I have included general tips and information for Clients to keep in mind throughout the court process.
It is very important to keep in mind that you should NOT discuss any of the facts of your case with anybody other than your Attorney. This means that if anyone, including friends and family ask you about the facts of your case you should not discuss it with them. If Investigators or Detectives of a Police Department contact you in any way, you should immediately inform them that you have an Attorney. It is important that you pass along your Attorney's contact information to the Investigator or Detective and explain that your Attorney advised you that you should not discuss anything without them being present. You should then immediately contact your Attorney and inform them of the situation and pass along the contact information of the person attempting to discuss your case with you. Your Attorney will most likely handle all communication with this person from this point forward.
You should keep your Attorney informed of any new information that you receive on your case. In addition, any new charges or changes in status of a pending case should be reported as well. Should your telephone number or address change, your Attorney will need to know immediately.
Keep a documented log or journal include any photos of events surrounding the events leading up to your case as well as your version of events from the incident resulting in charges. It is best to do this as close to the date of incident as possible so that the information is still fresh in your memory. Photograph anything that relates to your case including vehicle damage, injuries, accident sites, etc. It is important that you are active in the defense of your case. If your Attorney advises you to attend any meetings or do any specific requirements, you must provide written proof of these things being completed.
When appearing in court, always show the Judge and any Officer of the Court respect. Your appearance should also be neat. Attire is always Business like. This means no shorts, tank tops, or any clothing that is revealing.
It is very important to keep in mind that you should NOT discuss any of the facts of your case with anybody other than your Attorney. This means that if anyone, including friends and family ask you about the facts of your case you should not discuss it with them. If Investigators or Detectives of a Police Department contact you in any way, you should immediately inform them that you have an Attorney. It is important that you pass along your Attorney's contact information to the Investigator or Detective and explain that your Attorney advised you that you should not discuss anything without them being present. You should then immediately contact your Attorney and inform them of the situation and pass along the contact information of the person attempting to discuss your case with you. Your Attorney will most likely handle all communication with this person from this point forward.
You should keep your Attorney informed of any new information that you receive on your case. In addition, any new charges or changes in status of a pending case should be reported as well. Should your telephone number or address change, your Attorney will need to know immediately.
Keep a documented log or journal include any photos of events surrounding the events leading up to your case as well as your version of events from the incident resulting in charges. It is best to do this as close to the date of incident as possible so that the information is still fresh in your memory. Photograph anything that relates to your case including vehicle damage, injuries, accident sites, etc. It is important that you are active in the defense of your case. If your Attorney advises you to attend any meetings or do any specific requirements, you must provide written proof of these things being completed.
When appearing in court, always show the Judge and any Officer of the Court respect. Your appearance should also be neat. Attire is always Business like. This means no shorts, tank tops, or any clothing that is revealing.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
Pennsylvania Crimes - General: Texting While Driving Ban -
Pennsylvania Crimes - General: Texting While Driving Ban -: Driving Law / update A new law has been passed that will go into effect March 2012, banning drivers from texting while driving. This new...
Driver's License Suspension
HOW TO FIND ADDITIONAL INFO ON YOUR LICENSE SUSPENSION AND THINGS YOU CAN DO TO PREPARE FOR YOUR MEETING WITH AN ATTORNEY RELATING TO YOUR LICENSE:
Many individuals who contact our office regarding a suspension of their Pennsylvania driver's license have very little information on:
*the time remaining in the suspension period
*the underlying conviction or convictions that may have caused the suspension
*the steps that need taken to lift the suspension and have their license reinstated
To help us and our clients gain insight on the above items, we suggest that they visit the PennDot website and driver and vehicle services to request a copy of their complete drivers history in addition to a copy of their restoration letter.
Once these documents are in our possession, we are able to have a better picture of what needs done to attempt to get the license reinstated. This will also allow us to see specific and detailed information about fines owed and citations that have been unresponded to.
If you have questions such as the ones discussed, you should order these documents and contact us as soon as possible to discuss you case with Attorney Paletta.
Many individuals who contact our office regarding a suspension of their Pennsylvania driver's license have very little information on:
*the time remaining in the suspension period
*the underlying conviction or convictions that may have caused the suspension
*the steps that need taken to lift the suspension and have their license reinstated
To help us and our clients gain insight on the above items, we suggest that they visit the PennDot website and driver and vehicle services to request a copy of their complete drivers history in addition to a copy of their restoration letter.
Once these documents are in our possession, we are able to have a better picture of what needs done to attempt to get the license reinstated. This will also allow us to see specific and detailed information about fines owed and citations that have been unresponded to.
If you have questions such as the ones discussed, you should order these documents and contact us as soon as possible to discuss you case with Attorney Paletta.
Texting While Driving Ban -
Driving Law / update
A new law has been passed that will go into effect March 2012, banning drivers from texting while driving. This new law will allow police officers to conduct a traffic stop and issue a ciitation to any driver that is seen texting while behind the wheel. The bill that was signed by Governor Corbett makes this a primary offense and calls for a $50.00 fine.
Information used in this blog was found at:
http://mobile.pennlive.com/advpenn/pm_105257/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=oJChkl5w
Visit the above link for more information and for the full article.
A new law has been passed that will go into effect March 2012, banning drivers from texting while driving. This new law will allow police officers to conduct a traffic stop and issue a ciitation to any driver that is seen texting while behind the wheel. The bill that was signed by Governor Corbett makes this a primary offense and calls for a $50.00 fine.
Information used in this blog was found at:
http://mobile.pennlive.com/advpenn/pm_105257/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=oJChkl5w
Visit the above link for more information and for the full article.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
SEARCH WARRANT DEFENSE
Search Warrant Defense Attorney in Pittsburgh
Can I still defend against searches with a warrant?
Yes, you can defend against a search that was made pursuant to a warrant. A defense attorney can help you do this.For example, it could be shown that the search was illegal because the search warrant itself was flawed because it failed to specifically describe the places to be searched or the items to be seized. Or, it could be shown that the warrant was executed in a flawed manner because it lacked "probable cause" supported by sworn affidavits. "Probable cause" means a reasonable belief, based on the surrounding facts and totality of circumstances, that an illegal activity was occurring or that evidence of a crime was present.
Joseph Paletta can render assistance in defending such cases, and he will aggressively fight for the protection of your constitutional rights.
Contact me by phone or email so we can discuss your case today.
Warrants to Search a Vehicle
Warrants to Search a Vehicle in Pittsburgh
Under what circumstances can a police officer execute the search of automobiles and other vehicles without a warrant?
Under the Pennsylvania Constitution, a police officer may execute a warrantless search of a vehicle only when the officer has both a reasonable belief of criminal activity and exigent circumstances. Exigent circumstances arise when there is a need for immediate police action. For example, if the officer reasonably believes that evidence is likely to be destroyed or physical harm is threatened against the officer or the public. An officer is prohibited from conducting a search of a vehicle for investigative purposes, and full inventory searches may be performed only when the vehicle is impounded.Contact me by phone or email so we can discuss your case today.
SEARCH WARRANT EXCEPTIONS
Pittsburgh Search Warrant Laws
What are the exceptions to the search warrant requirement?
In general, the U.S. Constitution requires that police officers have a warrant in order to execute a search or seizure.However, there are several exceptions to the warrant requirement when an officer has a reasonable belief that a crime has been or is being committed. A search or seizure without a warrant may also be proper, even without probable cause of crime, where objects are in plain view, a person consents to the search, or an administrative search is made of a closely regulated business. Circumstances may excuse the warrant requirement when an emergency calls for prompt police action.
Contact me by phone or email so we can discuss your case today.
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