Criminal Defense

You’re traveling in Tennessee; maybe you’re visiting family, visiting the Smokies, or on business. Regardless of what brought you to Tennessee, getting stopped by an officer is stressful. You get pulled over in a state that’s unfamiliar to you, navigate an arrest process or citation, and realize that you don’t know how to navigate traffic…

Whether you’ve been arrested for driving under the influence, shoplifting, assault, or another alleged crime, you have to make a decision—do you hire an attorney or fight your criminal charges on your own? While you have the right to defend yourself, hiring a criminal defense lawyer and entrusting your case to them is generally the…

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when you’re facing criminal charges. You’re looking at a list of charges the prosecutor wants to bring against you, looking at the penalties that come with those charges, and considering the range of possible outcomes for each one. You may also be worried about the potential of jail time and…

The Fifth Amendment to the US Constitution protects criminal defendants from being forced to incriminate themselves. Understanding the importance of protection against self-incrimination is critical in the age of social media.  While your social media posts generally aren’t forced, they can still incriminate you. The prosecution may review your social media posts and try to…

When you are arrested and charged with a crime, you may end up making multiple appearances in court, depending on the type of charge and how you plead. No matter what your situation, it’s important to know how many times you may need to appear in court after an arrest, because failure to show up…

These days, technology is seemingly used everywhere to make identifications. There are cameras at intersections that take photographs of your car.  There are cameras at the entrances of many stores, offices, and other buildings. Many of these buildings even have cameras throughout their premises. Many homeowners install security cameras. Virtually every smartphone comes with a…

The criminal justice system is far from perfect, and it can have real world consequences. Wrongful convictions cost defendants their freedom, their reputation, their ability to earn a living, and possibly their lives. A wrongful conviction also affects the families of anyone who is wrongfully convicted. According to the National Institute of Justice (NIJ), an…

Several new criminal statutes become effective in 2024. At Delius, McKenzie & McCarter, our criminal defense lawyers understand the latest laws that may affect you in the event any criminal charges are filed against you. The Tennessean recently discussed some of these laws. Generally, statutes that are passed in Tennessee in 2023 become effective on…

Many people encounter times when they need to defend themselves in physical altercations. While it may sound simple to claim self-defense when you are physically attacked or threatened by another person, it can actually become very difficult to prove that you legally acted in self-defense and did not take things too far. It is important…

Consent is a common defense to many different types of sex crimes and offenses including rape, sexual assault, and sexual abuse. “Consent” is also a legal term of art. The precise definition may vary from state to state and from one offense to the other. Our criminal defense lawyers understand when defendants can argue consent…