Do I Have To Let the Police Search My Car?
Whether or not you have any illegal goods in your care, you may be offended and concerned over letting police search your car. But you have the right to deny their request to search your vehicle, unless the law enforcement official has a search warrant issued for probable cause that a crime has been committed. […]
Preventing Underage Drinking
Underage drinking has legal and social consequences that can upset families and mess up a young person’s life. It has been a generational challenge, because it can be very difficult to communicate the many dangers of alcohol abuse to young people. They lack a frame of reference for these dangers and can feel warnings are […]
Permitless Carry in Tennessee Concerns Police
A Tennessee law that went into effect on July 1, 2021, allows Tennessee residents to carry firearms without the need for a permit. Permitless carry in Tennessee has its proponents and its critics. Originally designed to limit carry to age 21 or older, now Tennesseans aged 18 to 20 will be allowed to carry concealed […]
Negotiating a Plea Deal
Just like the terms suggests, a plea bargain serves as a type of negotiation between the parties involved with the case, specifically between the prosecution team overseeing the case and the defense team representing the defendant. Working out a plea deal is an important skill for a criminal defense lawyer. The Parties Involved Depending on […]
What is a Felony in Tennessee
As with most states, felony crimes in the state of Tennessee classifies legal wrongdoing as either a felony or a misdemeanor. A felony indicates that the crime is more serious and is treated that way by the law and court system. While certain exceptions can be made in sentencing based on whether the crime in […]
What Is Probable Cause?
Generally speaking, probable cause means that a reasonable person would believe that a crime has taken place. Probable cause is a requirement found in the Fourth Amendment and must be met before police can make an arrest or conduct a search or receive a warrant. For example, recently in the University of Idaho murder […]
Blood Test Versus Breath Test
Driving Under the Influence (DUI) is a crime that has major ramifications if convicted. Police who suspect you of DUI may ask you to take a blood test or a breath test (breathalyzer) to see if they can get proof of their suspicion. Police may ask you to take a field sobriety test too although […]
Avoid the Chances of a DUI
It is important to avoid the chances of a DUI by making smart decisions. Because Driving under the Influence (DUI) is a serious crime in Tennessee, you want to have some strategies to safely enjoy your “partying.” DUI situations arise if you are not being careful about choices about drinking or other substance abuse and […]
Does DUI Mean Drugs, Too?
While driving under the influence, or DUI, generally gets used as a term to describe drunk driving, a DUI can apply whenever the driver of a vehicle appears to be under the influence of an unknown substance. Quick Definitions A DUI charge generally refers to legal substances (such as alcohol), illegal substances (cocaine, heroin, etc.), […]
Pulled Over for A DUI? Am I Required to Take Blood Test?
In Tennessee, the answer to this question in the past was “No,” with a few exceptions. However, as of January 1, 2012, a change in Tennessee law in regard to compelled chemical tests changes this answer. The new changes in the law expand those precious few exceptions to create more situations in which a police […]