The Rule of Completeness: An assist from the bench
Comm. v. Thomas, 2018 PA Super 221 (Aug. 3, 2018) Out of Philadelphia County. Thomas was convicted of first-degree murder. Three issues were raised in this appeal, but only one was of particular…
Tipsters more reliable when they provide self-incriminating details
Comm. v. Butler, 2018 PA Super 219 (Aug. 1, 2018) Out of Bucks County. Butler was convicted of drug-related offenses, namely possession with intent to deliver (PWID). He raised a single issue on…
The July Batch (so far) from the Superior Court
The Superior Court has issued seven precedential opinions this month. Straying from my usual summaries, I intend only to provide the holdings and other pertinent points and, of course, my commentary…
Supreme Decisions: Two Conviction Reversals, Pinkerton Liability at Risk in PA, Rule 600, and more
Supreme Court In the Interest of J.B., __ A.3d __ (Pa., July 18, 2018) This is one of two cases in which the Supreme Court overturned a criminal conviction—well, here, really a juvenile…
Withdrawal of Guilty Pleas, Double Jeopardy, and DUI Sentencing
Comm. v. Davis, 2018 PA Super 180 (June 22, 2018) Out of Lehigh County. This case is about an attempt to withdraw a guilty plea made under a plea agreement for a sentence not to exceed 38 months…
Confidential Informants, Prosecutorial Misconduct, and Traffic Stops (some aided by the "Find My iPhone" App)
Comm. v. Koonce, 2018 PA Super 169 (June 15, 2018) Out of Montgomery County. Koonce was convicted following a stipulated non-jury trial of possession with intent to deliver. Pre-trial he filed a…
The appellate courts are busy making law . . . and I'm busy keeping up.
June has been a busy month, yet at the same time a relaxing one with a much-needed vacation. This month, the appellate courts haven’t let up. I haven’t let up either, staying on top of the recent…
A Circumstantial DUI, A Case of Be-Careful-What-You-Ask-For, and the Kathleen Kane Case
Comm. v. Gooseby-Byrd, 2018 PA Super 134 (May 23, 2018) This was an appeal out of Delaware County. This was a DUI case charged under 75 Pa.C.S. § 3802(a)(2), which indicates Appellant’s…
Word choice is important . . . and so is a thorough review and timing.
Comm. v. Dempster, 2018 PA Super 121 (May 8, 2018) This is an appeal before an en banc panel of the Superior Court, which arose out of Delaware County. The issue on appeal concerns the scope of the…
A "Stalking Horse"?
Appeal out of Lancaster County. This appeal involved issues of a parolee’s privacy interests under the Fourth Amendment and what is known as the “Stalking Horse Doctrine”—i.e. the idea of a…