Pennsylvania Case Commentaries

Resetting Pennsylvania’s Equality Doctrine: ERA Strict Scrutiny and §26 Neutrality; Providers Have Standing; Legislative Intervention Curtailed

Date: Jan 30, 2024

Resetting Pennsylvania’s Equality Doctrine: ERA Strict Scrutiny and §26 Neutrality; Providers Have Standing; Legislative Intervention Curtailed Introduction In Allegheny Reproductive Health Center v....

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Upholds Rehabilitator's Authority in Insurance Rehabilitation

Date: Jan 30, 2024

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Upholds Rehabilitator's Authority in Insurance Rehabilitation Introduction In the case of IN RE: SENIOR HEALTH INSURANCE COMPANY OF PENNSYLVANIA (In Rehabilitation), the...

Supreme Court Upholds 'Regular Use' Exclusion in Motor Vehicle Insurance Policies under MVFRL

Date: Jan 30, 2024

Supreme Court Upholds 'Regular Use' Exclusion in Motor Vehicle Insurance Policies under MVFRL Introduction The case of Matthew Rush and Kathleen McGrogan-Rush v. Erie Insurance Exchange addresses a...

Presumption of Paternity Maintained in Reconciled Marriages Despite Prior Separations

Date: Jan 30, 2024

Presumption of Paternity Maintained in Reconciled Marriages Despite Prior Separations Introduction The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania, in the landmark case B.C., Appellee v. C.P. AND D.B., Appellants...

State and Local Taxes Remain Separate in Dormant Commerce Clause Analysis: Zilka v. Tax Review Board, City of Philadelphia

Date: Nov 23, 2023

State and Local Taxes Remain Separate in Dormant Commerce Clause Analysis: Zilka v. Tax Review Board, City of Philadelphia Introduction Diane Zilka, a resident of Philadelphia, appealed to the...

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Reinforces Prejudice Requirement in Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claims: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Jessica Rizor

Date: Nov 23, 2023

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Reinforces Prejudice Requirement in Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claims: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Jessica Rizor Introduction The case of Commonwealth of...

Jurisdiction of Adult Criminal Courts over Aged-Out Juvenile Offenses Confirmed: Commonwealth v. Armolt

Date: May 17, 2023

Jurisdiction of Adult Criminal Courts over Aged-Out Juvenile Offenses Confirmed: Commonwealth v. Armolt Introduction The case of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Appellee v. Herman Albert Armolt, Jr.,...

Reaffirmation of Traditional Standing in Zoning Appeals: Pennsylvania Supreme Court's Decision in South Bethlehem Associates, LP v. Zoning Hearing Board

Date: May 17, 2023

Reaffirmation of Traditional Standing in Zoning Appeals: Pennsylvania Supreme Court's Decision in South Bethlehem Associates, LP v. Zoning Hearing Board Introduction The case of South Bethlehem...

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Sets Precedent on Enforcement of Election Equipment Integrity through Contempt and Sanctions

Date: Apr 20, 2023

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Sets Precedent on Enforcement of Election Equipment Integrity through Contempt and Sanctions Introduction The case of County of Fulton et al. v. Secretary of the...

Affirmation of Postconviction Relief Denial in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Harve Lamar Johnson

Date: Feb 23, 2023

Affirmation of Postconviction Relief Denial in Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Harve Lamar Johnson Introduction The case of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Harve Lamar Johnson (289 A.3d 959) presents...

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Establishes Enhanced Standards for Fee-Shifting Under the Clean Streams Law

Date: Feb 23, 2023

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Establishes Enhanced Standards for Fee-Shifting Under the Clean Streams Law Introduction In the landmark case of Clean Air Council, The Delaware Riverkeeper Network, and...

Ineffective Assistance of Counsel and Jury Instruction: A Comprehensive Analysis of Commonwealth v. Drummond

Date: Nov 24, 2022

Ineffective Assistance of Counsel and Jury Instruction: A Comprehensive Analysis of Commonwealth v. Drummond Introduction Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Gerald Drummond (285 A.3d 625) is a landmark...

Affirmation of Legislative Jurisdiction in Life Imprisonment Parole Eligibility Challenges

Date: Oct 20, 2022

Affirmation of Legislative Jurisdiction in Life Imprisonment Parole Eligibility Challenges Introduction The case of Marie Scott et al. v. Pennsylvania Board of Probation and Parole (284 A.3d 178,...

Defining Intimate Body Parts in Indecent Assault: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Carl Gamby

Date: Sep 30, 2022

Defining Intimate Body Parts in Indecent Assault: Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Carl Gamby Introduction In the landmark case of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Carl Gamby, the Supreme Court of...

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Confirms 'Sore Loser' Provision Applies to Court-Ordered Withdrawal of Nomination Petitions

Date: Sep 23, 2022

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Confirms 'Sore Loser' Provision Applies to Court-Ordered Withdrawal of Nomination Petitions Introduction The Pennsylvania Supreme Court recently delivered a landmark...

Affirmation of Limitations on Interlocutory Appeals in Challenging Peace Officer Justifications under 18 Pa.C.S. §508(a)(1)

Date: Jul 21, 2022

Affirmation of Limitations on Interlocutory Appeals in Challenging Peace Officer Justifications under 18 Pa.C.S. §508(a)(1) Introduction In Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Ryan Pownall, the Supreme...

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Affirms Constitutional Protections Against Warrantless Blood Seizures in DUI Cases

Date: Jul 21, 2022

Pennsylvania Supreme Court Affirms Constitutional Protections Against Warrantless Blood Seizures in DUI Cases Introduction The case of Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Akim Sharif Jones-Williams,...

Vindictive Sentencing Claims Recognized as Legal Challenges Under Pennsylvania's Post-Conviction Relief Act

Date: Jul 1, 2022

Vindictive Sentencing Claims Recognized as Legal Challenges Under Pennsylvania's Post-Conviction Relief Act Introduction Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Mark Allen Prinkey, 277 A.3d 554 (Pa. 2022),...

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Upholds Non-Waivability of Constitutional Challenges to SORNA Lifetime Registration

Date: Jun 23, 2022

Supreme Court of Pennsylvania Upholds Non-Waivability of Constitutional Challenges to SORNA Lifetime Registration Introduction In the landmark case of COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA v. SHAUNE JAREL...

Remand in Michael John Parrish’s Case Establishes Critical Standards for Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claims

Date: Apr 29, 2022

Remand in Michael John Parrish’s Case Establishes Critical Standards for Ineffective Assistance of Counsel Claims Introduction In the landmark case Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. Michael John...