Conestoga, Pennsylvania is a small community in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania in the United States. Conestoga was first called Conestoga Manor by William Penn. The name came from the Conestoga Indians, a peaceful Christian tribe, whose principal village was located nearby. The Conestoga are an extinct tribe, the last being hacked to death by the Paxton Boys in 1763. The town of Conestoga was laid out by John Kendig, Harry Breneman, Edward Charles, and John Folkman in 1797. The community is located at 39°56'26"N longitude, 76°20'48"W latitude, and it is 500 feet above sea level. A post office, zip code 17516, exists. Conestoga was in the national news in 2001 when President George W. Bush held a photo opportunity at the Safe Harbor power station. Conestoga is also home to Turkey Hill Dairy. Another Conestoga, Pennsylvania exists at 40°8'32"N 75°50'7"W in neighboring Chester County, Pennsylvania. However, the community in Lancaster County is on the Susquehanna River, on the west side of Lancaster County, while Chester County lies to the east of Lancaster County.

What is criminal defense law?

In a criminal case, the state, through a prosecutor, initiates the suit, while in a civil case the victim brings the suit. Persons convicted of a crime may be incarcerated, fined, or both. Criminal defense attorneys represent clients who have been accused of committing a crime, and defend their rights at each stage of a misdemeanor or felony case -- from an arrest to an appeal after conviction. Criminal defense attorneys may be hired privately or provided by the government (called "public defenders").

Answers to criminal defense law issues in Pennsylvania

The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution says that you have a right to be free of unreasonable police searches and...

The general criteria for making an arrest is what is referred to as probable cause. Probable cause arises when there...

There are two different types of warrants that may be issued:

  • arrest warrants - an order issued by a...

The Miranda decision relates specifically to the rights of a criminal suspect after he has been detained by the...

Bail is typically set by a magistrate or a judge who considers the seriousness of the offense and the likelihood of...

Early in the course of a criminal proceeding, the defendant will be brought into court and the charges brought...

At any point during this process the defendant may plead guilty to the charge leveled against him or her. Likewise,...

Criminal offenses can be divided into two general categories:

  • ­felonies -- a crime for which a person...

The distinguishing feature of criminal law is the element of punishment. The purpose of criminal law is to punish...

There are several defenses that can be raised in a criminal case. The defenses listed here are a sampling of those...