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Green Party v. Department of State Bureau of Commission, Elections and Legislation: A long name for a nothing-burger
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The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania rules that filing late for a special election cannot be excused. 25 P.S. § 2779 requires that a political party putting forth a candidate for…
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Com v. Aikens: Trial Court’s Instruction Gives Insight into Jury’s Findings
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18 Pa.C.S. § 6318 criminalizes “Unlawful Contact with a Minor.” One might think of this statute as an inchoate for the entire child-sexual-victimizing portion of the criminal code. If a…
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Com v. Packer: DUI on immediate and debilitating intoxicants satisfies mens rea for third-degree murder
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In Commonwealth v. Packer, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court rules that the choice to drive immediately after and while huffing difluoroethane (DFE) intoxicants that are known to render the user unconscious…
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Blake v. State Civil Service Commission: “Soldier” under state hiring preference law may not mean the same thing as it does to the Department of Defense
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In Blake v. State Civil Service Commission, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled that a West Point cadet who did not complete his training is not a “soldier” entitled to hiring…
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Com v. Cullen-Doyle: Elementary, dear Watson—First Time Offenders are Eligible for RRRI
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The Pennsylvania Supreme Court holds in Com v. Cullen-Doyle that the Recidivism Risk Reduction Inventive Act’s (RRRI) eligibility requirements were not meant to exclude a first-time violent offender pleading guilty…
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Com v. Shabezz: Automatic standing in Pennsylvania to challenge unconstitutional searches
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Saleem Shabezz was observed by a policeman in a McDonald’s Parking Lot—a “hot zone,” known for drug deals by the police in Philadelphia (always a great place to find hot ‘zones).…
