{"name":"The Philly Lawyer","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com","definition":"A Philadelphia lawyer is the advocate people send for when the case is hard: sharp, aggressive, and in it to win. The name stuck after Andrew Hamilton, a Philadelphia lawyer, defended printer John Peter Zenger in New York in 1735. Zenger was charged with libel for criticizing a royal governor. Hamilton told the jury the words were true. The jury acquitted him.","desk":"The Philly Lawyer is a public intake desk. A person sends the place and what happened. The desk reads it and refers the matter to a lawyer who handles that work. A message does not hire a lawyer, does not create an attorney-client relationship, and is not legal advice.","counties":["Philadelphia","Berks","Bucks","Chester","Delaware","Montgomery"],"groups":["Criminal","Accidents","Injury","Medical","Family","Work","Civil"],"agentFiles":["/llms.txt","/llm.txt","/site-structure.json","/sitemap.xml"],"pages":[{"group":"Start","title":"How referrals work","path":"/how-referrals-work","description":"The Philly Lawyer is a public intake desk. A person sends the place and what happened. The desk reads it and refers the matter to a lawyer who handles that work. A message does not hire a lawyer, does not create an attorney-client relationship, and is not legal advice.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/how-referrals-work"},{"group":"Start","title":"AI assistant and ChatGPT connections","path":"/ai-assistant","description":"How to use the automated intake assistant and public guide connection. Chat is not legal advice and does not send a referral request.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/ai-assistant"},{"group":"Start","title":"Home","path":"/","description":"A Philadelphia lawyer is the advocate people send for when the case is hard: sharp, aggressive, and in it to win. The name stuck after Andrew Hamilton, a Philadelphia lawyer, defended printer John Peter Zenger in New York in 1735. Zenger was charged with libel for criticizing a royal governor. Hamilton told the jury the words were true. The jury acquitted him. The Philly Lawyer is a public intake desk. A person sends the place and what happened. The desk reads it and refers the matter to a lawyer who handles that work. A message does not hire a lawyer, does not create an attorney-client relationship, and is not legal advice.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/"},{"group":"Start","title":"All case types","path":"/practice-areas","description":"Every kind of case the desk accepts, grouped as criminal, accidents, injury, medical, family, work, and civil.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas"},{"group":"Start","title":"News","path":"/news","description":"Original notes on local reports and lawsuits people are already searching, each with a form for a similar situation. The local list refreshes daily.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/news"},{"group":"Start","title":"Matters","path":"/matters","description":"Public listings the desk is watching.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/matters"},{"group":"Start","title":"Contact","path":"/contact","description":"The intake form. Name, email, case type, place, and what happened.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/contact"},{"group":"Start","title":"Disclaimer","path":"/disclaimer","description":"Attorney advertising. A message is not a hiring and not legal advice.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/disclaimer"},{"group":"Start","title":"Privacy","path":"/privacy","description":"What the form collects and where the message goes.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/privacy"},{"group":"Start","title":"Site map","path":"/site-map","description":"Human-readable map of every standing page.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/site-map"},{"group":"Criminal","title":"Criminal Defense","path":"/practice-areas/criminal-defense","description":"Arrests, investigations, summonses, and open criminal cases. The desk reviews the court and the next date before anyone is hired.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/criminal-defense"},{"group":"Criminal","title":"DUI","path":"/practice-areas/dui","description":"A DUI stop creates a criminal case and a license problem at the same time. Send the citation, the county, and the first date.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/dui"},{"group":"Criminal","title":"Drug Charges","path":"/practice-areas/drug-charges","description":"Possession, delivery, and possession-with-intent cases. The county and whether anyone is in custody decide who can take the file.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/drug-charges"},{"group":"Criminal","title":"Gun Charges","path":"/practice-areas/gun-charges","description":"Firearm possession and related charges. Write down the statute if it is on the paperwork, the county, and the next listing.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/gun-charges"},{"group":"Criminal","title":"Assault Charges","path":"/practice-areas/assault-charges","description":"Assault and terroristic-threat cases, including fights that started as something else. Say if there is also a protection order.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/assault-charges"},{"group":"Criminal","title":"Theft and Robbery","path":"/practice-areas/theft-robbery","description":"Retail theft, burglary, robbery, and related property charges. The grade of the charge and the county matter first.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/theft-robbery"},{"group":"Criminal","title":"Probation Violations","path":"/practice-areas/probation-violations","description":"A detainer or a probation violation hearing. Send the judge, the county, and whether the person is already locked up.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/probation-violations"},{"group":"Criminal","title":"Expungement","path":"/practice-areas/expungement","description":"Requests to clear or limit an old record. The outcome of the old case and the county decide whether it can be filed.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/expungement"},{"group":"Criminal","title":"Juvenile Cases","path":"/practice-areas/juvenile","description":"Charges against a minor. Say the county, whether the case is still in juvenile court, and the next date.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/juvenile"},{"group":"Criminal","title":"Federal Charges","path":"/practice-areas/federal-charges","description":"Cases in federal court, including investigations that have not been charged yet. Name the district if you have it.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/federal-charges"},{"group":"Accidents","title":"Car Accidents","path":"/practice-areas/car-accidents","description":"Car crashes, insurance calls, and injuries. Send the date, the city, and whether an insurer has already called.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/car-accidents"},{"group":"Accidents","title":"Truck Accidents","path":"/practice-areas/truck-accidents","description":"Crashes with a tractor-trailer or another commercial truck. The company name and the state where it happened matter.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/truck-accidents"},{"group":"Accidents","title":"Motorcycle Accidents","path":"/practice-areas/motorcycle-accidents","description":"Motorcycle crashes. Say who was riding, the city, and whether anyone went to a hospital.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/motorcycle-accidents"},{"group":"Accidents","title":"Pedestrian Accidents","path":"/practice-areas/pedestrian-accidents","description":"A person hit by a vehicle while walking or crossing. The city, the date, and the hospital are enough to start.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/pedestrian-accidents"},{"group":"Accidents","title":"Bicycle Accidents","path":"/practice-areas/bicycle-accidents","description":"Bicycle crashes with a car, truck, or another rider. Say the road and whether a police report exists.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/bicycle-accidents"},{"group":"Accidents","title":"Rideshare Accidents","path":"/practice-areas/rideshare-accidents","description":"Crashes involving Uber, Lyft, or another rideshare, as a passenger or another driver. Name the company.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/rideshare-accidents"},{"group":"Accidents","title":"Bus Accidents","path":"/practice-areas/bus-accidents","description":"Bus crashes, including SEPTA and school buses. Government vehicles can have shorter deadlines, so say who operated the bus.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/bus-accidents"},{"group":"Accidents","title":"Hit and Run","path":"/practice-areas/hit-and-run","description":"Crashes where the other driver left. A plate, a description, and whether you have your own insurance are the first facts.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/hit-and-run"},{"group":"Injury","title":"Personal Injury","path":"/practice-areas/personal-injury","description":"Injuries that are not a criminal charge. The desk sorts the place and the type of injury, then refers the matter.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/personal-injury"},{"group":"Injury","title":"Slip and Fall","path":"/practice-areas/slip-and-fall","description":"Falls in a store, on a sidewalk, or on someone else's property. The address and whether a report was written matter.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/slip-and-fall"},{"group":"Injury","title":"Dog Bites","path":"/practice-areas/dog-bites","description":"Dog bites and other animal attacks. Say the town, whether you know the owner, and whether you were treated.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/dog-bites"},{"group":"Injury","title":"Wrongful Death","path":"/practice-areas/wrongful-death","description":"A death that a family believes was caused by a crash, a fall, or medical care. This page is an intake note, not a prediction of what a case is worth.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/wrongful-death"},{"group":"Injury","title":"Brain Injury","path":"/practice-areas/brain-injury","description":"Head injuries after a crash, a fall, or an assault. Symptoms are sometimes delayed. Say the date and the hospital.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/brain-injury"},{"group":"Injury","title":"Spinal Cord Injury","path":"/practice-areas/spinal-cord-injury","description":"Back, neck, and spinal injuries after a crash or a fall. Say whether surgery has been discussed.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/spinal-cord-injury"},{"group":"Injury","title":"Premises Liability","path":"/practice-areas/premises-liability","description":"Injuries on property someone else controls: bad stairs, poor lighting, ice that was left, or a broken railing.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/premises-liability"},{"group":"Injury","title":"Construction Accidents","path":"/practice-areas/construction-accidents","description":"Injuries on a construction site. Say the contractor if you know it, and whether a workers' compensation claim has been opened.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/construction-accidents"},{"group":"Injury","title":"Product Liability","path":"/practice-areas/product-liability","description":"Injuries from a product that broke or was unsafe. The product name and the date are enough for a referral.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/product-liability"},{"group":"Injury","title":"Sexual Assault","path":"/practice-areas/sexual-assault","description":"Reports of sexual assault. If you are in immediate danger, contact the police. A message here is a request for a referral, not an investigation.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/sexual-assault"},{"group":"Medical","title":"Medical Malpractice","path":"/practice-areas/medical-malpractice","description":"Care that a person believes was negligent. The hospital or doctor, the state, and the rough dates are enough to route it.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/medical-malpractice"},{"group":"Medical","title":"Birth Injury","path":"/practice-areas/birth-injury","description":"Injuries to a parent or a child around labor and delivery. Name the hospital and the date. Do not send full records in the first message.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/birth-injury"},{"group":"Medical","title":"Nursing Home Neglect","path":"/practice-areas/nursing-home","description":"Neglect, falls, or bedsores in a nursing home or assisted living. The facility name and the town are the starting facts.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/nursing-home"},{"group":"Family","title":"Family Law","path":"/practice-areas/family-law","description":"Family cases need a lawyer in the county where the case is filed. Send the county and the next date.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/family-law"},{"group":"Family","title":"Divorce","path":"/practice-areas/divorce","description":"Divorce and separation. The county where someone lives, and whether a case is already filed, decide the referral.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/divorce"},{"group":"Family","title":"Child Custody","path":"/practice-areas/child-custody","description":"Custody schedules, emergency petitions, and hearings. The county and the next date matter more than the long history.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/child-custody"},{"group":"Family","title":"Child Support","path":"/practice-areas/child-support","description":"Support orders, modifications, and contempt hearings. Send the county and the next listing.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/child-support"},{"group":"Family","title":"Protection Orders","path":"/practice-areas/protection-orders","description":"Protection-from-abuse petitions and hearings. If you are in danger now, contact the police. Say the county and the hearing date.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/protection-orders"},{"group":"Work","title":"Employment","path":"/practice-areas/employment","description":"A firing, unpaid wages, or discrimination. The employer, the state where you worked, and the last day of work are the first facts.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/employment"},{"group":"Work","title":"Workers Compensation","path":"/practice-areas/workers-compensation","description":"Injuries at work and claim petitions. Say the employer, the date of the injury, and whether a claim number exists.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/workers-compensation"},{"group":"Work","title":"Workplace Injury","path":"/practice-areas/workplace-injury","description":"An injury at work when it is not clear whether it is a compensation claim, a negligence claim, or both. Describe the job and the injury.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/workplace-injury"},{"group":"Civil","title":"Civil Disputes","path":"/practice-areas/civil-disputes","description":"Someone sued you, or you need to sue someone, and it is not a criminal case. Send the court name and the deadline on the first page.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/civil-disputes"},{"group":"Civil","title":"Insurance Claims","path":"/practice-areas/insurance-claims","description":"An insurer that denied, delayed, or underpaid a claim. The company name and the date of the loss are enough to start.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/insurance-claims"},{"group":"Civil","title":"Landlord and Tenant","path":"/practice-areas/landlord-tenant","description":"Eviction, habitability, and security deposits. The county and the next court date decide who can appear.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/landlord-tenant"},{"group":"Civil","title":"Wills and Estates","path":"/practice-areas/wills-estates","description":"Probate, a disputed will, or an estate that needs to be opened. The county where the person lived is the first fact.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/practice-areas/wills-estates"},{"group":"Local reports","title":"Police officer fatally shot while responding to call in West Philadelphia","path":"/news/police-officer-fatally-shot-while-responding-to-call-in-west-philadelphia","description":"People around Philadelphia are already looking this up. If a similar criminal defense matter happened to you, send the place and what happened. The desk reads it and refers it to a lawyer who handles that work. This note is not a claim that anyone here is involved in the reported story.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/news/police-officer-fatally-shot-while-responding-to-call-in-west-philadelphia"},{"group":"Local reports","title":"Man shot, killed by police after confrontation along Ben Franklin Parkway in Center City","path":"/news/man-shot-killed-by-police-after-confrontation-along-ben-franklin-parkway-in-cent","description":"People around Philadelphia are already looking this up. If a similar criminal defense matter happened to you, send the place and what happened. The desk reads it and refers it to a lawyer who handles that work. This note is not a claim that anyone here is involved in the reported story.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/news/man-shot-killed-by-police-after-confrontation-along-ben-franklin-parkway-in-cent"},{"group":"Local reports","title":"Double shooting under investigation in North Philly","path":"/news/double-shooting-under-investigation-in-north-philly","description":"People around Philadelphia are already looking this up. If a similar criminal defense matter happened to you, send the place and what happened. The desk reads it and refers it to a lawyer who handles that work. This note is not a claim that anyone here is involved in the reported story.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/news/double-shooting-under-investigation-in-north-philly"},{"group":"Local reports","title":"Philadelphia officer dies after shooting; another still hospitalized","path":"/news/philadelphia-officer-dies-after-shooting-another-still-hospitalized","description":"People around Philadelphia are already looking this up. If a similar medical malpractice matter happened to you, send the place and what happened. The desk reads it and refers it to a lawyer who handles that work. This note is not a claim that anyone here is involved in the reported story.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/news/philadelphia-officer-dies-after-shooting-another-still-hospitalized"},{"group":"Lawsuits","title":"Pennsylvania Supreme Court will review Philadelphia’s opioid lawsuit against pharmacies","path":"/news/philadelphia-opioid-public-nuisance-appeal","description":"The City of Philadelphia’s case against CVS, Albertsons, and Acme is going to the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on whether opioid injuries can be a public nuisance.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/news/philadelphia-opioid-public-nuisance-appeal"},{"group":"Lawsuits","title":"Renters are suing Philadelphia landlords over algorithmic rent pricing","path":"/news/philadelphia-algorithmic-rent-lawsuits","description":"A West Philadelphia renter sued Willow Bridge and RealPage under the city’s ban on algorithmic rent setting. Related suits name other large managers.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/news/philadelphia-algorithmic-rent-lawsuits"},{"group":"Lawsuits","title":"Gambling-addiction lawsuits against DraftKings are in federal court in Philadelphia","path":"/news/draftkings-gambling-lawsuits-philadelphia","description":"A class case dismissed in Pennsylvania is on appeal. Four individual bettors’ suits were moved from Philadelphia state court into federal court in September 2026.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/news/draftkings-gambling-lawsuits-philadelphia"},{"group":"Lawsuits","title":"Pennsylvania Supreme Court kept the $250,000 cap in the SEPTA pedestrian case","path":"/news/freilich-septa-damages-cap","description":"On October 1, 2026, the court upheld the sovereign-immunity cap after a SEPTA bus injured Hayley Freilich in a Center City crosswalk. The stipulated verdict was $7 million. The cap cut it to $250,000.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/news/freilich-septa-damages-cap"},{"group":"Desk notes","title":"What to have ready before you call about a case","path":"/news/what-to-have-ready-before-you-call","description":"The five facts that let this desk decide who should call you back, without a long story.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/news/what-to-have-ready-before-you-call"},{"group":"Desk notes","title":"How a referral works when the case is not criminal","path":"/news/how-a-referral-works-when-the-case-is-not-criminal","description":"This desk takes every kind of case and connects it with a lawyer who handles that work.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/news/how-a-referral-works-when-the-case-is-not-criminal"},{"group":"Desk notes","title":"Questions to ask before you hire the lawyer we connect you with","path":"/news/questions-to-ask-before-you-hire-the-lawyer","description":"A short list to use on the call back, whoever the lawyer turns out to be.","url":"https://thephillylawyer.com/news/questions-to-ask-before-you-hire-the-lawyer"}]}