Author: John B. Pike

One of the worst parts of the probate process is seeing how the probate courts will tax the assets the deceased left to their loved ones. Not only do they have to deal with the loss of someone dear to them, but the state gets to take a cut of the assets their loved one worked hard for. However, certain assets should not be taxed in Pennsylvania.  The Pennsylvania inheritance tax is only...

Crime in the Keystone State has gone down drastically. In 2022, there were 309,981 crimes committed in Pennsylvania, and 222,473 crimes in 2023. Of those crimes, 5,938 were robberies. While a declining number of crimes is a good thing, there are still people who are being charged with robbery and need to know what penalties they face.  The penalties for robbery can be severe. Even at their...

In the state of Pennsylvania, a juvenile is a child under the age of 18, or someone under the age of 21 who committed a crime when they were younger than 18. If you do not fit into this category, you are either a child under the age of 10 or an adult. This means there’s an age range between 10 and 18 where most crimes will see the offender prosecuted in a different court, with different...

DUI checkpoints are not something everyone has experienced. They are typically only set up in the evening when people are more likely to drink and on popular drinking holidays. You may understandably not be familiar with DUI checkpoints and how they work, but it only takes one bad interaction with one to ruin your life.To be safe, everyone should become familiar with what DUI checkpoints are,...

As an estate planning law firm, we at Pike Law have encountered numerous cases where people have passed away without a will or trust. We’re often asked if there’s anything we can do post-humously, and the truth is, once someone dies without a will, it’s in the hands of the state. We always recommend that people create a will so they don’t die intestate. We can explain what this means and why...

After years of experience as a criminal defense law firm, Pike Law understands that even a single drug charge can have extensive ramifications on your life, even if you’re not found guilty. Not only are you at risk of severe legal consequences but your reputation and future opportunities may also be at stake. Pike Law will provide a comprehensive overview of the penalties for each type of...

A trust is a legal arrangement where someone creates a legal entity (the trustee) to hold and manage assets for the benefit of another person (the beneficiary). This arrangement allows people to transfer their assets, such as property or money, to a trustee who then manages or receives it according to the terms set out in the trust document. This is a way to pass down your assets to someone...

A will is one of the most basic estate planning tools. It’s used to decide how you want your assets distributed to your surviving loved ones after you pass. If you die without a will, the state law will take over distributing your assets, which may or may not line up with your final wishes. That said, not all assets can be included in a will.  Clients often try to add certain types of...

Crime is categorized and recorded based on seriousness, and two of the most common terms you may deal with if you face a criminal charge are felony and misdemeanor. These two labels cover most criminal charges outside of traffic crimes. It’s important to understand the differences in case you or a loved one are charged with a crime, as they mean very different things for your future court...

Searching cars is a common practice for law enforcement. Police officers often search cars when gathering evidence or solving crimes. They can also check suspicious vehicles. It’s a routine process that happens more frequently in real life than you think.  As leading criminal defense attorneys, we often face the question: When is it illegal to search your car in Pennsylvania? Law...