Criminal Defense

Most people, when they think of trials, assume that there will be a judge and 12 jurors in charge of their fates. However, not every trial requires a jury; bench trials are held in front of a judge, who decides the outcome of your case. Your lawyer should review the pros and cons of having…

In some criminal cases, especially drug-related cases, the police may obtain evidence of the crime through an illegal search or seizure. Evidence includes the drugs themselves and drug paraphernalia. It can include instruments of a crime such as weapons. It can include chemical tests, cash, property, and other physical evidence. The exclusionary rule generally holds…

The Tennessean recently reported that a federal judge has ruled that Tennessee’s revocation of driver’s due to unpaid court costs is unconstitutional. The ruling by Judge Aleta Trauger could set a precedent for similar rulings nationwide according to a senior lawyer who works for the National Center of Law and Economic Justice in New York…

A criminal conviction is a mark on your record that can significantly harm your future opportunities in life, including employment, housing, and retaining various civil rights you inherited or received as a citizen. The stigma of a criminal record is also ever present. Nearly 80 million Americans have a rap sheet – that is, they…

If you watch television crime dramas, or crime scene investigation shows, you may have seen an episode or two where DNA evidence helped to convict or exonerate a suspect. But do you know how DNA evidence is used in criminal prosecutions? We are going to look at how DNA evidence is used to help solve…

How can I confirm there is a Tennessee arrest warrant with my name on it? Tennessee does not yet have a state-wide warrants database, so you must search county criminal court databases online, or check the police or sheriff’s department website for their warrant database. If you have heard or have reason to believe that…

The New Year has brought in a series of new laws to the state of Tennessee. Some of them have the potential to affect your life and even your daily routine. In fact, some 16 new laws have entered the books this year. Let’s review a couple of new laws in particular that could impact…

A recent Pew Research Center study said that 38 percent of young people from 18 to 29 have at least one tattoo. That’s a lot of people with a lot of tattoos. When someone is arrested, often the arresting agency will obtain information about the tattoos. These descriptions may not be the something an accused…

The laws governing theft in our state can be confusing – especially if you’re accused of breaking one. Broadly speaking, under Tennessee state law, theft occurs when a person purposefully and knowingly takes property without the owner’s permission. There are a wide variety of theft classifications, both at the state level and the federal level.…

American society is rooted in law, order, and justice. Fortunately, there are procedures and rules in place in order to prevent and punish misconduct or errors made by prosecutors, judges, and others in the justice system. But what options do you have when these preventive measures and penalties do not work? Research and studies done…