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.

09/04/2026

Choosing the Right Criminal Defense Lawyer

What Should Happen During the First 30 Days of Your Criminal Case?

When you hire a criminal defense attorney, what should actually happen during the first month?
Every criminal case is different, and the timing will depend upon the charges, court schedule, and availability of discovery. Te first 30 days can be an important period for establishing the foundation of the defense.

1. Your lawyer should understand your side of the case.
2. The police report tells the government's version of what happened. Your attorney also needs to understand what you say happened, what concerns you have, and what information may be important to the defense.
3. The charges and potential consequences should be explained.
4. You should understand what you are charged with, what the Commonwealth must prove, and the potential consequences if you are convicted.
5. Discovery should be requested and reviewed as it becomes available.
Discovery may include police reports, witness statements, photographs, videos, body-camera footage, laboratory reports, electronic evidence, and other materials. Receiving discovery is only the beginning. The important part is analyzing it.
6. Immediate legal issues should be identified.
Depending upon the case, there may be questions involving bail, preservation of evidence, searches and seizures, statements to police, identification procedures, witnesses, experts, or other issues requiring early attention.
7. Upcoming court proceedings should be discussed.
If there is a preliminary hearing, pretrial conference, or other proceeding approaching, the client should understand what it is and what decisions may need to be made.
8. There should be a plan.
That plan may change as additional evidence becomes available. But a client should understand where the case stands, what the lawyer is doing, and what comes next.

Hiring a criminal defense lawyer should involve more than simply having someone's name entered as your attorney of record. The first 30 days should begin the process of understanding, investigating, and preparing the case.

When choosing a criminal defense attorney, ask what will happen after you hire the lawyer, not simply what the lawyer charges.

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

09/03/2026

Inside the Criminal Justice Process

How Does Plea Bargaining Work in a Pennsylvania Criminal Case?

Many Pennsylvania criminal cases are resolved through a negotiated guilty plea rather than a trial.

But how does plea bargaining actually work?

A plea bargain is a negotiated resolution between the prosecution and the defendant.

Depending upon the case, negotiations may involve:

* Dismissing or reducing certain charges
* Pleading guilty to some charges while others are withdrawn
* An agreement concerning the sentence
* A recommendation concerning the sentence
* Whether sentences will run concurrently or consecutively
* Other terms affecting the resolution of the case

The defense attorney does not decide whether the client accepts a plea offer.

The attorney's job is to investigate and evaluate the case, communicate plea offers to the client, explain the potential consequences, discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the evidence, and provide advice.

The ultimate decision whether to plead guilty belongs to the client. That decision should not be made by looking at the plea offer in isolation.

A criminal defense attorney should also consider:
What charges does the Commonwealth have to prove?
How strong is the evidence?
Are there suppression or other pretrial issues?
What defenses are available?
What sentencing exposure does the client face if convicted at trial?
What does the client receive in exchange for giving up the right to trial?

Sometimes a negotiated plea provides a significant benefit to the defendant. Other times, the defense may conclude that the offer does not adequately reflect problems with the Commonwealth's case or the risks of proceeding to trial.
There is no single answer that applies to every case. Good plea negotiations begin with knowing the case.

Before deciding whether to accept or reject an offer, a defendant should understand both the proposed resolution and the realistic alternatives.

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

09/02/2026

Why Experience Matters

How Jury Trial Experience Benefits Every Criminal Defense Client

Most criminal cases do not end with a jury returning a verdict.

So why should it matter whether your criminal defense attorney has substantial jury trial experience?

Because trial experience affects much more than what happens inside the courtroom on the day of trial.

A lawyer who has tried criminal cases before juries learns to look at evidence differently.

When reviewing discovery, the question is not simply:

What evidence does the Commonwealth have?”

It is also:

“How will they prove this to a jury?”

That means thinking about:

* Which witnesses are credible
* Where testimony may be inconsistent
* Whether physical or forensic evidence actually supports the prosecution's theory
* What evidence may be challenged or excluded
* How a witness will withstand cross-examination
* What facts are likely to matter to jurors
* Where reasonable doubt may exist

Jury trial experience can also affect plea negotiations.

Before advising a client whether a plea offer should be accepted or rejected, a criminal defense lawyer should be able to evaluate the alternative:

What happens if we take this case to trial?

That requires more than knowing the law. It requires judgment developed from actually preparing cases, examining witnesses, presenting evidence, making arguments, and putting cases before judges and juries.

Not every criminal case should go to trial.

Sometimes a negotiated resolution is the best result for the client.

But even then, trial experience matters because a lawyer should evaluate a plea offer against the strengths, weaknesses, risks, and realistic trial value of the case.

The benefit of jury trial experience begins long before a jury is ever selected.

It can influence how a criminal case is evaluated and defended from the beginning.

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

09/01/2026

Gun Charges in Northeastern Pennsylvania

A Pennsylvania gun charge can have serious consequences, including the possibility of a felony conviction and incarceration.

But not every gun case is the same.

Some of the fi***rm charges that arise in Northeastern Pennsylvania include:

*Carrying a Fi***rm Without a License
*Possession of a Fi***rm by a Prohibited Person
*Possessing a Weapon in connection with another alleged offense
* Fi***rm allegations arising from traffic stops
* Cases involving questions about who actually possessed or controlled the fi***rm

One of the most important questions in a gun case is often:

How did the police find the fi***rm?

A fi***rm may be discovered during a traffic stop, a search of a vehicle, ex*****on of a search warrant, or an encounter with police.

That can raise important Fourth Amendment issues concerning whether the stop, detention, or search was lawful.

Another important question is possession.

The fact that a fi***rm was found inside a vehicle, residence, or other location does not automatically establish that every person present legally possessed it. When the fi***rm was not actually found on the defendant, the Commonwealth may rely upon a theory of constructive possession.

Pennsylvania gun cases can also involve questions concerning licensing, prior convictions, the defendant's eligibility to possess a fi***rm, and the circumstances under which the weapon was allegedly carried or possessed.

A gun charge is an accusation. It is not a conviction.

The facts of the particular case and how the police obtained the evidence matter.

If you are facing fi***rm charges in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Scranton, Lackawanna County, or elsewhere in Northeastern Pennsylvania, speak with a criminal defense attorney about the specific charges and evidence against you.

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

***rmCharges

08/31/2026

Pennsylvania Criminal Law Questions People Ask Every Day

What Happens After an Arrest in Pennsylvania?

Being arrested does not mean that you have been convicted of a crime.

In many Pennsylvania criminal cases, the arrest is only the beginning of the process.

What happens next depends upon the charges and circumstances, but the early stages commonly include:

1. Preliminary Arraignment

After an arrest, the defendant may be brought before a Magisterial District Judge for a preliminary arraignment. The defendant is informed of the charges and certain rights, and bail may be addressed.

2. Bail

Depending upon the case, the defendant may be released, required to satisfy monetary bail, or detained. Conditions can also be placed upon a defendant's release.

Bail can be extremely important because it determines whether someone remains incarcerated while the criminal case is pending.

3. Preliminary Hearing

In most misdemeanor and felony cases, the next major proceeding is the preliminary hearing.

A preliminary hearing is not a trial. The Commonwealth does not have to prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.

Instead, the Commonwealth must establish a prima facie case that a crime was committed and that the defendant committed it.

The defense may have the opportunity to cross-examine witnesses, challenge the Commonwealth's evidence, and evaluate important aspects of the prosecution's case.

4. The Case May Move to the Court of Common Pleas

If the charges are held for court or the preliminary hearing is waived, the case generally proceeds to the county Court of Common Pleas.

The case then enters the pretrial stage, which can involve discovery, motions, plea negotiations, and ultimately a trial if the case is not otherwise resolved.

One of the biggest mistakes after an arrest is assuming that nothing important happens until trial.

Decisions made at the beginning of a criminal case can affect what happens later.

If you have been arrested or charged with a crime in Pennsylvania, understanding the process and your rights is an important first step.
Law Office of John B. Pike
Pennsylvania Criminal Defense Attorney
Serving Luzerne County, Wilkes-Barre, and Northeastern Pennsylvania

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

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Kingston, PA
18704

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