Vol. LVII Allentown, PA Friday, September 9, 2016 No. 11

64 Pages·2016·6.42 MB·English

Vol. LVII Allentown, PA Friday, September 9, 2016 No. 11
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THE COURT
The Hon. Edward D. Reibman, President Judge
The Hon. Carol K. McGinley, Judge
The Hon. Robert L. Steinberg, Judge
The Hon. J. Brian Johnson, Judge
The Hon. Kelly L. Banach, Judge
The Hon. James T. Anthony, Judge
The Hon. Maria L. Dantos, Judge
The Hon. Michele A. Varricchio, Judge
The Hon. Douglas G. Reichley, Judge
The Hon. Daniel K. McCarthy, Judge
The Hon. Alan M. Black, Senior Judge
LEHIGH LAW JOURNAL
(USPS 309560)
Owned and Published by
THE BAR ASSOCIATION OF LEHIGH COUNTY
1114 Walnut Street, Allentown, PA 18102
www.lehighbar.org
HON. WILLIAM H. PLATT, President
PATRICK J. REILLY, President-Elect
MICHELLE M. FORSELL, Vice President
JAMES J. KOzUCH, Secretary
SARAH M. JOLLY, Treasurer
SUSAN G. MAURER, Historian
THOMAS F. TRAUD, JR., Law Journal Committee
RAY BRIDGEMAN, Executive Director
GRAIG M. SCHULTz, Case Editor
Copyright © 2016 Bar Association of Lehigh County
The Lehigh Law Journal is published every Friday. All legal notices must be
submitted in typewritten form and are published exactly as submitted by the
advertiser. Neither the Law Journal nor the printer will assume any respon-
sibility to edit, make spelling corrections, eliminate errors in grammar or make
any changes in content.
The Law Journal makes no representation as to the quality of services offered by
any advertiser in this publication.
Legal notices must be received at 1114 W. Walnut St., Allentown, PA 18102,
before 12 noon the preceding Tuesday. Telephone [phone]. Advance
issues $100.00 per year. Single copies $2.00. Payment of annual dues to the
Bar As sociation of Lehigh County includes year’s subscription to Lehigh Law
Journal.
Printed at 206 S. Keystone Ave., Sayre PA 18840
Periodical postage paid at Allentown, PA 18102 and
at additional mailing offices.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Lehigh Law
Journal, 1114 W. Walnut St., Allentown, PA 18102.
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STUCK IN A CASE?
Lawyers often reach an impasse in litigation and face
common problems: Where do I go from here? What is
the best tactic? Do I have the right experts?
Recently retired from a successful law practice,
I now share a lifetime of litigation experience
through CONSULTING services to lawyers, as
well as Mediation and Arbitration.
ALTERNATIVE DISPUTE RESOLUTION
CLYDE BARTEL
Call:( ) Email:
610 360-6284 • [email protected]
Feinberg Real Estate Advisors

∙Available for Lease
∙Class A Furnished Offic e
∙Located in the Allentown N IZ
∙Join the Allentown Renaiss ance
The Trifecta Building

612 W. Hamilton Street
Allentown, PA 18101

Cindy McDonnell Feinberg, CCIM
[email protected]
610-709-6231

Gregg M. Feinberg, Esq.
[email protected]

610-709-6233

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Oaktree Advisors Welcomes
Jane Kapinas and Ben Tenaglia
Jane A. Kapinas
Vice President • Trust Representative
(610) 882–5670 Ext. 208
Jane joined Oaktree Advisors in 2016
with more than 30 years of experience in
trust operations and trust administration.
Jane serves as the intermediary between
her client’s legal professionals and the
trust company. She maintains a close personal and professional
relationship with her clients, allowing her to understand each
family’s unique needs.
Benjamin M. Tenaglia, III
Vice President • Portfolio Manager
(610) 882–5670 Ext. 212
Ben brings more than 30 years of trust and
investment experience to Oaktree Advisors.
He is responsible for setting investment
strategy, selecting appropriate investments
and allocating investments to properly
meet each client’s personal needs. Ben helps individuals, trusts,
estates, and charitable organizations determine the asset
allocation that puts them in the best position to realize their
financial objectives.
Both Jane and Ben are proud to be part of the local Lehigh
Valley community. They live here, work here and volunteer
their time here.
Find out how they can help you and your clients with truly
personalized trust services.
One West Broad St., Suite 406
Bethlehem, PA 18018
oaktree-online.com
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Office space available in multi-attorney office suite—great for
sole practitioner or satellite office. Great location in downtown
Allentown. Close to courthouse. Recently renovated space with high-
speed internet. Includes kitchen access. Handicap accessible. Space
available inmediately. Please contact—Craig Pijut [phone].

8-26; 9-2, 9, 16

Single office space for rent in Allentown law office suite.
Includes use of conference room, reception area and copy
machine. Free client on-site parking.
Please call [phone] to inquire.

9-9

The BALC Facebook page is
updated regularly with meeting reminders and event
notices, and includes photo albums, discussion
boards, links, and much more. “Like” us at
www.facebook.com/BarAssociationLehighCounty
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MEDIATION
ARBITRATION
MOCK TRIALS
• Hon. William E. Ford (Ret.) joins ADR
Options as a mediator and arbitrator,
available for immediate scheduling
• Judge Ford served as a Judge on the
Court of Common Pleas for 24 years,
handling every type of civil case
• He presided over hundreds of jury and
non-jury trials, settling countless matters
• Completed the Civil Mediation Program
of the National Judicial College
• Judge Ford represented both plaintiffs
and defendants through trials and
settlements during his civil litigation
Hon. William E. Ford
practice from 1979 to 1991
(Ret.)
• He began his legal career as a
Judge Advocate in the United States
Marine Corps
• Working as a prosecutor in addition to
his time as Judge Advocate gave him
invaluable trial experience
• Judge Ford has disseminated his
law expertise through teaching
undergraduate and graduate law courses
at three colleges, as well as presenting
various programs for members of the bar
• His trial opinions have been regularly
covered in the Pennsylvania Law Weekly
• The Judge is an honors graduate of
2001 Market Street, Suite 1100 DeSales University and received his
Two Commerce Square
Juris Doctorate from The Dickinson
Philadelphia, PA 19103-7044
School of Law
Phone: [phone]
215-564-1775 • Judge Ford is a partner in Ford Law Office
adroptions.com based in Allentown
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LEGAL ASSISTANT/PARALEGAL
Bethlehem-based law firm is seeking a full-time or part-time
estate planning and estate administration assistant/paralegal
with a minimum of 5 years’ experience in the preparation of
Wills and Trusts, accounting, bookkeeping, word processing
and real estate. Familiarity with the Lackner software package
is preferred. Resumes with a cover letter should be sent by
regular mail to Littner, Deschler & Littner, 512 N. New Street,
Bethlehem, PA 18018, by fax to [phone] or electroni-
cally to [email protected].
9-9, 16, 23
——————
LEGAL SECRETARY/REAL ESTATE PARALEGAL
Business Law Firm in center city Allentown, PA has an open-
ing for a legal secretary/real estate paralegal to partner. Can-
didate must be extremely organized and detail oriented. Prior
experience handling real estate closings and preparation of
closing documents and settlement statements required. Salary
commensurate with experience. Fax resume with salary require-
ment to [phone] or e-mail to [email protected].
9-9
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108 Commonwealth vs. Dreisbach
COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA
vs. STEVEN E. DREISBACH
Criminal Homicide—Robbery—Prima Facie Case—
Pretrial Motions—Weight of Evidence.
The Court found that the Commonwealth presented direct and circumstantial evi-
dence to establish a prima facie case of robbery, and therefore, denied the defendant’s
pretrial Motion for Writ of Habeas Petition to Dismiss for Failure to Establish a Prima
Facie Case of Robbery.
In the Court of Common Pleas of Lehigh County, Pennsyl-
vania—Criminal Division. No. CR-1512-2016. Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania vs. Steven E. Dreisbach, Defendant.
Steven LukSa, eSquire, on behalf of the Commonwealth.
irene ChiavaroLi-JohnS, eSquire, on behalf of the Defendant.
Steinberg, J., August 26, 2016. The defendant, Steven Dreis-
bach, is charged with Criminal Homicide1 and Robbery.2 It is al-
leged that he stabbed the victim, Cooper Wertman, to death. The
victim suffered eighteen (18) stab wounds, including fifteen (15)
wounds to the back region.3
On July 13, 2016, counsel for the defendant filed Omnibus
Pretrial Motions, which included a “Motion for Writ of Habeas
Petition to Dismiss for Failure to Establish a Prima Facie Case of
Robbery.” A hearing on that motion was held on August 3, 2016,
during which the Commonwealth introduced various exhibits, in-
cluding the following: (1) the transcript from the preliminary hear-
ing;4 (2) autopsy report;5 (3) photographs, including photographs
of the crime scene, the victim, Cooper Wertman, the defendant,
Steven Dreisbach, a knife, and clothing of the defendant with what
appears to be blood;6 (4) Miranda Rights form;7 (5) log of text mes-
sages between the defendant and Salvatore Tsounis.8
1 18 Pa. C.S. §2501(a).
2 18 Pa. C.S. §3701(a)(1)(i).
3 See Commonwealth Exhibit 4—Autopsy Report—Habeas Hearing—August 3, 2016.
4 See Commonwealth Exhibit 13.
5 See Commonwealth Exhibit 4.
6 See Commonwealth Exhibits 1-3, 5-9, 11.
7 See Commonwealth Exhibit 10.
8 See Commonwealth Exhibit 12.
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Lehigh 7-17 op