Samuel C Stretton

January 12, 2017 | The Legal Intelligencer

I saw a proposed rule change allowing citation to unreported decisions by the Superior Court. It appears far too many decisions of the Superior Court are memorandum and not reported, why is that?

By Samuel C. Stretton

20 minute read

January 05, 2017 | The Legal Intelligencer

I am representing an attorney who is suspended. He has been reinstated in the Pennsylvania courts and is now seeking reinstatement in federal courts. Is there any issues I should be aware of on a federal reinstatement hearing?

By Samuel C. Stretton

23 minute read

December 29, 2016 | The Legal Intelligencer

Should there be changes in the Court of Judicial Discipline?

By Samuel C. Stretton

18 minute read

December 27, 2016 | The Legal Intelligencer

I attended a recent excellent seminar by the Pennsylvania Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers on capital defense. A question was raised about when a client's wishes would control when the lawyer wanted to do innovative voir dire to try to minimize any possibility of the imposition of the death penalty. Ethically, who has the final say?

By Samuel C. Stretton

25 minute read

December 16, 2016 | The Legal Intelligencer

How far can I push to change the existing law and not be considered filing a frivolous or bad-faith litigation?

By Samuel C. Stretton

17 minute read

December 09, 2016 | The Legal Intelligencer

I am running for judicial office next year. A lawyer has just recently given me $2,500 for my Common Pleas Court race. Will I have to recuse myself if I am elected and the lawyer appears before me?

By Samuel C. Stretton

20 minute read

December 01, 2016 | The Legal Intelligencer

I inadvertently let my law license go into inactive (administrative suspension) status by not timely paying the annual registration fee. What should I do?

By Samuel C. Stretton

14 minute read

November 23, 2016 | The Legal Intelligencer

The rule for pretrial and trial publicity is set forth in Pennsylvania Rule of Professional Responsibility Rule 3.6. That rule essentially prohibits a lawyer from public communication that "will have a substantial likelihood of materially prejudicing an adjudicate proceeding in the matter." Rule 3.6 then discusses specific information that can and cannot be released both in civil and criminal cases. Under 3.6, there is a safety valve under Section C that a lawyer can make a statement to protect the client from substantial undue prejudicial effect of recent publicity not initiated by the lawyer or the lawyer's client.

By Samuel C. Stretton

18 minute read

November 17, 2016 | The Legal Intelligencer

I have discovered one of my employees has taken money from my escrow account. What steps should I take and what kind of problem am I in?

By Samuel C. Stretton

18 minute read

November 10, 2016 | The Legal Intelligencer

Have there been any recent changes to the Rules of Professional Conduct?

By Samuel C. Stretton

22 minute read