Although the prosecution carries the burden of proof in a criminal case, and they have to clear a high hurdle to obtain a conviction, you’d be surprised by how many convictions are obtained because of mistakes made by those who have been accused. Some of these...
Getting charged with a federal crime can feel overwhelming. The stakes are higher than in state court, and the process moves fast. If you live in Tennessee and are facing federal charges, act quickly and learn your rights. Federal charges require a unique approach and...
Felonies are serious crimes with significant consequences. Understanding how Tennessee classifies felonies can help you better grasp the legal system. Knowing the different classes of felonies clarifies what charges you might face. Felony classes Tennessee sorts...
It is not an uncommon scenario for law enforcement to search a home and create a mess or even damage the property. They may create chaos and find nothing that they were looking for, which means that your home was ransacked for nothing. If this has happened to you, you may be feeling angry, stressed, frustrated, and overwhelmed. In fact,…
Law enforcement is a tangled, complicated topic — these days more than ever. Those meant to serve and protect don’t always seem to do so, which is understandably worrying to the citizens around them. When we think of justice, we want to associate that word with fairness. That’s what it should be. Righting wrongs and preventing further harm to the…
Jury selection is, perhaps, the most critical part of any defense trial. If you’ve been charged with an assault, a DUI, possession of drugs, or any other offense, you want jury members who will truly listen to your version of what happened. You want jurors who will not automatically support everything that the prosecution presents. You want jurors who can…
Most of the time, if there’s a warrant out for your arrest, you’ll know it. The police may arrest you at the scene or shortly thereafter. But what if they didn’t? Perhaps you were involved in an altercation or domestic issue. Or you forgot to pay a couple old traffic tickets. Maybe you heard that someone reported you to authorities…
A criminal record will keep you from doing a lot of things. It can keep you from getting a loan, getting a job, carrying a firearm, or finding housing. The one thing it might not do is keep you from parenting your child. Just because a non-custodial parent has a criminal record, it doesn’t mean that he or she can’t…
A surge in COVID-19 cases throughout Tennessee has prompted the Tennessee Supreme Court to suspend all jury trials and in-person hearings. The order was filed by the state’s Supreme Court and applies to all state and local courts. In-person proceedings and jury trials are suspended until at least March 31. The order, which was issued on December 22 and updated…
As the parent of a teenager who sometimes gets into minor trouble from typical teenage antics, you might think back on your own childhood stunts. Your stunts never resulted in life-altering consequences. Your parents probably yelled a little, maybe grounded you and called it a day. Today, even minor incidents can turn into hair-raising events that leave your head spinning…