Worgul, Sarna & Ness, Criminal Defense Attorneys, LLC

02/20/2026

Be careful when the police ask you questions during a traffic stop. Their job is to investigate and find evidence of a crime, so don’t give them any. Stay calm, be polite, but say as little as possible.

02/18/2026

Remember: field sobriety tests are not mandatory in Pennsylvania!

02/07/2026

If you are under 21 in Pennsylvania, a single drink can be enough for a DUI charge.

The legal limit is not 0.08.
It is 0.02.

That means one beer, one mixed drink, or even a small amount of alcohol can trigger an arrest. And the consequences are serious — license suspension, fines, and a record that can follow you into college or your career.

I have watched one decision undo years of hard work for students and young professionals.

If you are under 21, do not risk it. And if you have already been charged, get legal advice before the damage becomes permanent.

01/29/2026

01/29/2026

One mistake does not always mean one charge.

In Pennsylvania, a single incident can violate multiple laws at the same time. That is why people are often shocked when they see several charges filed from one event.

Each statute carries its own penalties, and when charges stack, the risk increases quickly. What seemed manageable at first can turn serious very fast.

Understanding how charges pile up — and getting legal guidance early — can make a real difference in how a case plays out.

01/28/2026

Missed court dates don’t disappear.
They turn into warrants.

01/28/2026

If you miss a court date in Pennsylvania, you should assume there is a warrant for your arrest.

It does not matter how much time has passed. Warrants do not go away. They stay active until the court clears them.

Most counties issue warrants immediately for missed misdemeanor and felony hearings. A few may send a warning letter first, but that is rare. In most places, missing court means you will eventually be arrested.

I have handled cases where warrants sat unnoticed for decades — until the person was stopped for something minor and taken into custody.

If you know you missed court, deal with it now. Waiting only makes the situation worse.

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01/27/2026

you post on social media.

After breakups, emotions run high. But repeatedly contacting someone online after they have said it is over, blocked you, or asked you to stop can become stalking under Pennsylvania law.

Switching platforms does not help.
Creating new accounts makes it worse.

Posts, messages, and comments are permanent. They get screenshotted. They get turned over to police. And they often become the strongest evidence in court.

If a relationship is over, the safest move is to disengage completely. Silence protects you far better than one more message.

01/25/2026

“I didn’t know that was illegal” will not save you in court.

In Pennsylvania, mistake of law is not a defense. The law assumes everyone knows the law, even when that clearly isn’t true in real life.

I have seen countless people charged for things they genuinely did not know were crimes. Good intentions do not matter. Ignorance does not matter. What matters is whether the law was violated.

That is why understanding your rights — and getting legal advice early — is critical. By the time charges are filed, it is often too late to undo the damage.

01/23/2026

Police do not always need a warrant or probable cause to detain you.

In Pennsylvania, officers can conduct what is called an investigatory detention — a brief stop to determine whether criminal activity is occurring. They must be able to point to specific facts that justify it, and the detention has to be reasonable in length and scope.

That detention can turn into an arrest if evidence is discovered during the stop.

This is why understanding the difference between being detained and being arrested is critical. Your rights — and your obligations — change depending on which one applies.

If you are unsure what is happening, stay calm and ask for a lawyer.

01/22/2026

Police cannot legally grab your phone and start searching it.

Your phone is your property.
Searching it is a search.
Taking it is a seizure.

Under the Fourth Amendment, both require legal authority. If you give permission, officers can search your phone. If you do not, they generally need a warrant.

Even when police have a warrant, that does not always mean they can access everything on the device. Warrants have limits, and judges decide what is allowed.

The safest move is simple: do not consent. Let the law work the way it is supposed to.

01/21/2026

If you are in police custody and answering questions, you are making things worse.

Police are not required to be honest with you during questioning.
They are trained to use tactics that get people talking.
And if they are asking you questions, it usually means you are a suspect.

Nothing you say in custody helps your case.
Every word becomes evidence.

The smartest move is to stop talking and ask for a lawyer.
That one decision can change the entire outcome of your case.





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