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When Tax Day means hiring a lawyer

Posted on April 15th, 2016

What is worse than Tax Day? Having to hire a criminal tax lawyer on Tax Day. Generally speaking, the Internal Revenue Service just wants your money. If you are behind or late in paying your taxes, contact the IRS directly and they will work with you. You, of course, will need to pay interest and penalties for being late, but you will not go to jail or face criminal charges.

When do you need a criminal tax lawyer to defend you against the Federal Government and the IRS?

1.  If federal agents show up at your house or business, this is a sure sign that you need a lawyer.  They will attempt to and are allowed to speak with you and solicit admissions. But they will use your words against you in prosecuting you for tax fraud. If federal agents come knocking at your door, hire a lawyer before saying anything. (more…)


Emmett Madden appointed to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency

Posted on March 25th, 2016

R. Emmett Madden, Esquire is proud to announce his recent appointment by Chairman Josh Shapiro to the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD). The PCCD is a group of Pennsylvania’s top experts on criminal justice issues including judges, justices, police chiefs, and heads of many of the most important criminal justice agencies (probation officers, district attorneys and public defenders). The Crime Commission makes recommendations to the governor and legislature regarding important issues facing all citizens.

Topics currently being reviewed or discussed by the PCCD:

1. Body Worn Cameras (BWC’s) for Law Enforcement.

The Commission is studying the use of BWC’s by law enforcement and making recommendations about when these videos should be given to defense attorneys and defendants.  Some questions include: When, if ever, can these videos be released to the public? And do such cameras and videos coincide with Pennsylvania’s relatively strict privacy laws? The Commission hopes to make recommendations for their use statewide. (more…)


Job opportunities for convicted felons

Posted on January 15th, 2016

This recent article discusses a big victory for redemption and opportunity. Recently, thanks to the help of Philadelphia Community Legal Services and other attorneys, the courts have overturned lifetime bans against those convicted of felonies from working in the eldercare business (such as in nursing homes or home health care).

Prior to this court decision, those who had been convicted of any felony at any time in their life, despite whatever moves they may have taken to improve themselves, were forever banned from working with the elderly. Although there may be circumstances under which certain convicted felons should not be able to work with the elderly, a blind lifetime ban is not the solution. Happily, this is no longer the law in Pennsylvania.

If you are a convicted felon, you are not allowed to be discriminated against solely because of this fact. Employers must look at the entire person, their background, and their history. If you believe you have been denied employment because of your criminal record, then ask your potential employer for their reason in writing. If that reason is solely based upon the prior felony conviction, then you must let them know about this decision. This could be the difference between gainful employment or not. If you need help in this matter, or any legal issues, please call The Philly Lawyers at 215-884-9300.


Is a DUI a felony?

Posted on January 7th, 2016

Is a DUI a felony? The simple answer is “no.” In Pennsylvania, driving under the influence is not a felony.  Driving under the influence is always a misdemeanor.

There are, however, some important clarifications. The real question is why do you need to know if a DUI is a felony

Are you concerned because you believe that your DUI is more serious than others and therefore may be considered a felony?

There are many factors that make certain DUIs seem far more serious than others. The first is:

  • Driving under the influence and causing an accident.

Driving under the influence while causing an accident and causing serious bodily injury to another is in fact a felony. Under circumstances where you cause an accident, or even if you do not cause the accident, but you are driving under the influence, you can be charged with and found guilty of a felony. Charges are even worse if the injuries you caused to another person are serious bodily injuries. You may be looking at a far greater sentence and a felony conviction if you are charged with driving under the influence and causing serious bodily injury to another person. (more…)


What to do if stopped by customs with drugs

Posted on December 10th, 2015

Last Saturday in Philadelphia, twenty pounds of cocaine were seized by customs at the Philadelphia International Airport. By any account, this is a very large amount of cocaine. In this situation, the cocaine does not appear to have been taken from any single person, but rather from bags found in the cargo hold.

This raises the important question as to what to do when you are searched by customs officials. We must understand that our regular constitutional rights and freedom from being searched do not apply in an airport setting. No one has a constitutional right to board an airplane and therefore one must comply with the safety standards. Obviously, the best way not to be stopped with contraband when coming on or off an airplane is to make sure that one never has contraband. Sometimes, however, people mistakenly leave certain things in their luggage.  (more…)


Why you want your lawyer to be a cyclist

Posted on November 24th, 2015

Philadelphia is the land of lawyers. Arlo Guthrie famously sang about the legendary Philadelphia lawyers in his song Philadelphia Lawyer. Looking in the Webster’s Dictionary for the definition of “Philadelphia lawyer” one sees the reputation that Philadelphia has for tenacious and creative lawyers. So in the city of so many lawyers how does one find the best? Intelligence and creativity are essential elements of any lawyer. New studies published in both The New York Times and Bicycling Magazine suggest that if you want a smart and creative lawyer with a finely-tuned brain, then you want a cyclist.

Bicycling Magazine recently cited a study finding those with greater leg power sustained their cognitive ability and brain health far longer than their weaker-legged counterparts. The New York Times examines a recent study showing that exercise not only improves one’s cognitive abilities, but can change the brain, making it stronger. (more…)


When hospitals make us sicker

Posted on November 12th, 2015

Recently, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that an inordinate amount of infections were contracted by patients of open-heart surgery at two local hospitals.

In the article, Penn State Hershey Medical Center admitted that they were contacting over 2,300 patients who they feared could be exposed to infections during open-heart surgery. It is believed that the infections were caused by circulating water being aerosolized through an exhaust vent of heater coils used on the bypass machine during surgery. (more…)


What happens when a person injures children in a school bus?

Posted on October 31st, 2015

A school bus accident reported in the Philadelphia Inquirer raises the important question of who is responsible when passengers on a school bus are injured. The article titled “Driver in fatal Lehigh U-team bus Crash Identified”, speculates that a driver fleeing the police after a traffic stop caused the accident. Even in a situation where the accident was caused by the criminal conduct of another, there is still the ability to recover financially for injuries. Too often, those engaged in criminal activity are driving an uninsured or stolen motor vehicle. In this situation, the passengers of the school bus and the driver will contact their own Under-Insured Motorist Coverage.  (more…)