Can You Challenge a Traffic Stop From a Different County's Case? Commonwealth v. Sanchez-Rodriguez
Prosecutors often prove one case with evidence gathered in another. A client is stopped in one county, drugs are found, and he resolves that case with a plea. Later, a second county uses the fruits…
When Google Reports You to the Police: Commonwealth v. Thomas and the Private Search Rule
Most child sexual abuse material cases in Pennsylvania no longer start with a police investigation. They start with a tech company. Google, Facebook, and other online providers run systems that scan…
When Does Dropping a Gun Count as Abandoning It? Two Pennsylvania Decisions, Two Days Apart
Two men in Philadelphia got rid of a gun near a parked vehicle as police came toward them. Both ran. Both were caught. Both were charged with firearms offenses, and in both cases a judge of the Court…
Prolonged Stops, Consent Searches, and Terry Frisks: Two New Superior Court Suppression Decisions
The Superior Court issued two precedential suppression decisions a week apart. Both affirmed the denial of a motion to suppress, and together they cover most of the ground that comes up when a…
Standing Nearby Was Enough: Probable Cause, Accomplice Attachment, and the Limits of Flowers
Probable cause is a low bar. That is the practical lesson of Commonwealth v. Smith, 2026 PA Super 151 (filed July 15, 2026), where the Superior Court affirmed a drug-and-gun arrest built on nothing…
When a Flashlight Becomes a Search
There's a common intuition about flashlights: a flashlight doesn't search anything. It just lets you see what's already there. Point one at a dark corner and the corner was always there — you've…
What a ShotSpotter Alert Can — and Can't — Justify: The Pennsylvania Supreme Court Decides Foster
When a microphone on a city utility pole reports gunfire, and a police officer shows up moments later and finds someone standing nearby, can the officer stop that person? That is, roughly, the…
No Warrant, No Problem: The Superior Court Says IP Address Logs Aren't Constitutionally Protected
The Fourth Amendment protects against unreasonable searches. Article I, Section 8 of the Pennsylvania Constitution does the same — but more. So when the Office of Attorney General issues a subpoena…
When Does Talking to Police Become a Detention? Commonwealth v. Gibbons
The Pennsylvania Superior Court handed down an important decision today on a question that comes up constantly in criminal practice: at what point does a conversation with police become a detention…
Third Circuit Clarifies Hotel Room Privacy After Checkout: United States v. Mendoza
The Third Circuit Court of Appeals recently addressed whether a hotel guest retains a reasonable expectation of privacy in a hotel room after the posted checkout time. The Facts Ryan Mendoza…