Northern Cambria is a borough in Cambria County, Pennsylvania, USA. It is part of the Johnstown, Pennsylvania Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 4,199 at the 2000 census. The Borough of Northern Cambria was incorporated on January 1, 2000. It was formed from the merger of two smaller municipalities, Barnesboro, Pennsylvania and Spangler, Pennsylvania. The area was first settled by Europeans in the early to middle 1800s. The presence of the West Branch of the Susquehanna River allowed loggers to move their harvest down stream. Small farms developed, but the area changed in the 1890s when mining of the extensive bituminous coal fields in the area became the dominant industry. The mining companies required skilled workers and many came from Great Britain and Eastern Europe. Railroads were built to transport the coal out and the town flourished with the influx of money. In the 1980s the coal industry began a decline and there has been a subsequent decline in the population of the area. In November 1922, the Reilly Shaft No. 1 Mine Explosion occurred, killing 78 coal miners A pumpkin weighing 1,469 lb (666 kg) was grown by resident Larry Checkon in 2005 (a world record at that time).

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...