John B. Pike, Esquire

John B. Pike, Esquire A Full Service Law Firm in Northeastern PA
Pike Law focuses on Car Accidents, Criminal Defense (DUI, Attorney John B. John B.

Pike has been representing clients in Kingston, PA and throughout the surrounding Northeastern Pennsylvania area for over 30 years. Pike, Attorney at Law offers legal services across a broad range of practice areas, with a particular focus in Car Accident, Criminal Law and Social Security Disability cases.

08/28/2026

Choosing the Right Criminal Defense Lawyer

What Should a Criminal Defense Fee Agreement Include? Before hiring a criminal defense attorney, don't focus only on one question:

“How much is the fee?”

An equally important question is:

“What does that fee actually cover?”

A written fee agreement should clearly explain the scope of the attorney's representation and how the fee arrangement works.

Depending upon the case, you should understand:

* Whether the fee is flat, hourly, or structured another way
* Exactly what stages of the case are included
* Whether a preliminary hearing is included
* Whether pretrial motions and hearings are included
* Whether the fee includes a guilty plea or other negotiated resolution
* Whether a trial requires an additional fee
* How expenses such as investigators, experts, transcripts, or testing are handled
* What happens if the representation ends before the case is completed
* When payments are due

For example, a lawyer may quote a fee for representation through the pretrial stage but charge an additional fee if the case proceeds to trial. There is nothing necessarily wrong with that arrangement.
The important thing is that the client understands it before hiring the attorney.

Criminal cases can last months and sometimes considerably longer. Neither the attorney nor the client should have to guess later about what was included in the original agreement. When interviewing a criminal defense lawyer, ask questions about the fee agreement before signing it.

A clear attorney-client relationship should begin with a clear understanding of the representation.

Law Office of John B. Pike
Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Attorney
Serving Luzerne County and Northeastern Pennsylvania

08/27/2026

Why Does a Criminal Defense Lawyer's Credibility With Judges Matter?

In criminal defense, credibility is built over time.

A lawyer appears before the same judges repeatedly. Judges learn which attorneys are prepared, know the law, understand the evidence, and make arguments they can support.

That matters.

It does not mean that an experienced lawyer receives special treatment or that a judge will rule in that lawyer's favor. Every case must be decided on its own facts and law.

But when a defense attorney tells a judge that there is a serious problem with the Commonwealth's evidence, identifies an important legal issue, or makes a representation about a case, professional credibility can affect how that argument is received.

Credibility comes from being prepared. It comes from knowing when to fight an issue aggressively and when not to make an argument that cannot be supported.

It also comes from being willing to go to trial when a case requires it.

After decades in a courtroom, one lesson becomes very clear:

Your reputation enters the courtroom with you.

For a criminal defense attorney, credibility with the court is not something that can be created for one case. It is earned case by case, hearing by hearing, and trial by trial.

Law Office of John B. Pike
Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Attorney
Serving Luzerne County and Northeastern Pennsylvania

08/26/2026

Inside the Pennsylvania Criminal Justice Process

Bench Trial vs. Jury Trial: What's the Difference?

If you are charged with a crime in Pennsylvania, one of the most important decisions in your case may be who decides whether you are guilty or not guilty.

In a jury trial, a jury hears the evidence and determines whether the Commonwealth has proven guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

In a bench trial, there is no jury. The judge hears the evidence, rules on the legal issues, and ultimately decides whether the Commonwealth has met its burden of proof.

So why would someone choose one over the other?

There is no universal answer.

The decision can depend upon the charges, the evidence, the legal issues involved, the anticipated witnesses, and the defense theory.

A case involving highly technical legal or evidentiary issues may present different considerations from a case that turns primarily on witness credibility. Likewise, emotionally charged evidence may affect the strategic analysis.

And there is an important point defendants sometimes overlook:

The choice between a bench trial and jury trial should be a strategic decision, not simply a matter of personal preference.

A criminal defense attorney should evaluate how the evidence is likely to be presented, what issues will actually determine the case, and the advantages and disadvantages of each type of trial.

Neither a bench trial nor a jury trial is automatically better.

The better choice is the one that makes sense for the particular case.

Law Office of John B. Pike
Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Attorney
Serving Luzerne County and Northeastern Pennsylvania

08/25/2026

Pennsylvania Criminal Defense — Northeastern PA

Police Chase Charges in Northeastern Pennsylvania: What Are You Facing?

Seeing flashing lights behind you and failing to stop can turn a traffic encounter into a serious criminal case very quickly.

In Pennsylvania, the offense commonly called fleeing or attempting to elude police generally involves a driver who willfully fails or refuses to bring a vehicle to a stop or otherwise flees or attempts to elude a pursuing police officer after receiving a visual and audible signal to stop.

And the circumstances of the alleged chase matter.

A fleeing-and-eluding charge can become significantly more serious when prosecutors allege aggravating circumstances, such as:

* Driving under the influence
* Crossing a state line
* Endangering a law enforcement officer or member of the public because of a high-speed chase

A police chase can also lead to additional charges depending upon what allegedly happened before, during, and after the pursuit.

But the fact that police describe an incident as a “chase” does not end the inquiry.

Did the driver actually know police were attempting to stop the vehicle? Was there a proper visual and audible signal? Was the failure to stop willful? What does the dash-camera or body-camera video actually show?

Those details can matter.

If you are charged after a police pursuit in Wilkes-Barre, Scranton, Hazleton, Pittston, Kingston, or elsewhere in Northeastern Pennsylvania, the evidence and circumstances surrounding the attempted traffic stop should be carefully examined.

Law Office of John B. Pike
Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Attorney
Serving Luzerne County and Northeastern Pennsylvania

08/24/2026

Pennsylvania Criminal Law Questions People Ask Every Day

Can Text Messages Be Used Against Me in a Criminal Case?

Yes, potentially.

Text messages can become important evidence in a Pennsylvania criminal case. Prosecutors may attempt to use texts to show what someone knew, intended, planned, said, or did before or after an alleged crime.

But there is an important issue that sometimes gets overlooked:

Having a text message on a phone does not automatically prove who wrote it.

Before a text message can be admitted as evidence, the party offering it generally must be able to authenticate it, in other words, provide sufficient evidence that the message is actually what they claim it is.

Courts can consider things such as:

* Who possessed or controlled the phone
* The telephone number or account involved
* The contents and context of the conversation
* Information in the messages known to the alleged sender
* Events discussed in the texts
* Testimony from the person who sent or received the messages
* Other evidence connecting the messages to the alleged sender

This can become particularly important when other people had access to the phone or account.

Text messages can be powerful evidence but what a message says and whether the prosecution can prove who actually sent it are two different questions.

If text messages are part of a criminal investigation or prosecution, they should be examined carefully and in context.

Law Office of John B. Pike
Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Attorney
Serving Luzerne County and Northeastern Pennsylvania

08/21/2026

Choosing the Right Criminal Defense Lawyer: What Every Person Should Know Before They Hire an Attorney

Who Will Actually Handle Your Case?

When you meet with a criminal defense lawyer, there is an important question you may not think to ask:

“Will you personally be handling my case?”

Law firms operate differently.

At some firms, the attorney you initially meet may personally handle your case from beginning to end. At others, different attorneys may handle different stages of the case. Associates, partners, or other lawyers within the firm may become involved.

There is nothing inherently wrong with either approach.

What matters is that you understand what you are hiring.

Before retaining a criminal defense attorney, consider asking:

• Who will be primarily responsible for my case?
• Who will appear with me in court?
• Who will review the discovery and evidence?
• Who will negotiate with the prosecutor?
• If motions are necessary, who will litigate them?
• If the case goes to trial, who will actually try it?
• Who will I communicate with when I have questions?

When you are choosing an attorney to defend you against criminal charges, you should know more than the name on the firm's website.

You should know who will actually be standing beside you in court.

Ask that question before you hire the lawyer, not afterward.

08/20/2026

Inside the Pennsylvania Criminal Justice Process

Bench Trial vs. Jury Trial: What's the Difference?

If a Pennsylvania criminal case goes to trial, an important question may be: Who will decide whether the Commonwealth has proven the charges?

In a jury trial, a jury hears the evidence and determines the facts. The judge presides over the trial, rules on legal issues and instructs the jury on the law.

In a bench trial, there is no jury. The judge performs both roles, ruling on legal issues and deciding whether the Commonwealth has proven the defendant guilty.

The burden of proof does not change.

Whether the case is tried before a judge or jury, the Commonwealth must prove every required element of the offense beyond a reasonable doubt.

So why might someone choose one over the other?

That decision can depend upon the charges, defenses, complexity of the legal issues, nature of the evidence, potential emotional impact of the allegations, and many other circumstances unique to the case.

There is no universal rule that a bench trial is better than a jury trial or vice versa.

The important question is which type of trial makes sense for the particular case.

That is a decision that should be made only after carefully evaluating the evidence, applicable law and defense strategy.

08/19/2026

Why Experience Matters: Authority & Trust

The Difference Between Legal Knowledge and Courtroom Judgment

Knowing the law is essential for any criminal defense attorney.

But knowing the law and knowing how to handle a criminal case are not always the same thing.

Courtroom judgment develops over time.

It can mean knowing when to file a motion and when filing one may accomplish very little. It means knowing when to cross-examine aggressively and when a few carefully chosen questions may be more effective. It means recognizing when negotiations should continue and when a case should be prepared for trial.

It also means understanding that every criminal case is different.

The same legal issue can arise in two cases but require very different strategies because the witnesses, evidence, prosecutor, judge and circumstances are different.

After more than 35 years handling criminal cases in Pennsylvania, I have learned that some of the most important decisions in a case aren't answered simply by opening a law book.

Legal knowledge tells you what the law allows. Courtroom judgment helps determine how and when to use it.

Both matter when someone's freedom and future may be at stake.

08/18/2026

Facing Burglary Charges in Luzerne County?

Burglary is a serious felony offense in Pennsylvania, and the facts surrounding the alleged entry can make a significant difference in how the case should be defended.

Under Pennsylvania law, burglary generally involves entering a building or occupied structure with the intent to commit a crime inside. Contrary to what many people assume, the prosecution does not necessarily have to allege that anything was actually stolen.

Important questions in a burglary case may include:

• Did the accused actually enter the property?
• Did the person have permission or a right to be there?
• What evidence establishes an intent to commit a crime inside?
• Was anyone present at the time?
• Was the location a residence or another type of structure?
• What physical, video, DNA, fingerprint, cell phone, or witness evidence connects the accused to the alleged burglary?

Burglary charges in Pennsylvania can be graded as a first-degree or second-degree felony depending upon the circumstances.

If you are facing burglary charges in Luzerne County, the evidence and circumstances should be carefully examined before deciding how to proceed.

Law Office of John B. Pike
Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Attorney
Serving Wilkes-Barre, Kingston and communities throughout Luzerne County

08/17/2026

Pennsylvania Criminal Law: Questions People Ask Every Day

Can a Victim Drop Criminal Charges in Pennsylvania?

A common question in criminal cases is: “What happens if the victim wants to drop the charges?”

In Pennsylvania, a victim generally cannot simply “drop” criminal charges once they have been filed.

That is because the criminal case is brought by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, not by the alleged victim. The prosecutor ultimately decides whether the case will continue, whether charges will be reduced, or whether dismissal will be sought.

The victim's wishes can still be important. A victim can tell the prosecutor that he or she does not want the case to continue, and prosecutors may consider that position when deciding how to proceed. But the victim does not have the final say.

This often comes up in domestic violence and assault cases. Even when the alleged victim no longer wants to participate, the prosecution may attempt to move forward using other available evidence.

Every case is different. If you are charged with a crime in Pennsylvania and the alleged victim says that he or she wants the charges dropped, do not assume the case is automatically over.

Law Office of John B. Pike
Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Attorney
Serving Luzerne County and Northeastern Pennsylvania

Address

400 Third Avenue
Kingston, PA
18704

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 5am
Tuesday 9am - 5am
Wednesday 9am - 5am
Thursday 9am - 5am
Friday 9am - 5am

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+15702887780

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