Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “What are the long term effects of being convicted of a crime?” In the divided political world of 2016, it’s something that conspiracy theorists love to discuss. What impact could a group of “faithless electors” have on the election results? Though…
Articles Posted in Criminal Defense
Double Jeopardy: Feds and State Can Still Both Charge You for Same Conduct
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Can I be arrested without evidence against me?” When the Utah jury acquitted a man named Roberto Román of first-degree murder of an officer of the peace, Román and his attorney breathed sighs of relief. Román was still convicted of two…
New York Governor Signs Law Criminalizing Use of Ticket-Buying Bots
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony?” If you’ve ever tried to buy tickets to a concert or other popular live event you understand the frustration felt by many. It can be downright impossible to get tickets to…
Are law enforcement officials collecting pictures of your face?
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Am I allowed to videotape an interaction with police? Can they make me stop filming?” Most people assume that if they’ve never been arrested and charged with a crime, there’s no way their personal information would be inside a criminal database.…
Involuntary Commitment Does Not Trigger Miranda, Court Rules
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “If I have an outstanding warrant, what should I do?” To many people, involuntary commitment in a psychiatric facility seems like the equivalent of jail when it comes to restricting your freedoms; for some, it could be considered even worse. However,…
Jury Awards $150,000 to SC Man in Wrongful Prosecution/Stand-Your-Ground Case
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “The person that called the police doesn’t want to press charges, can I still be prosecuted?” In a lawsuit for malicious prosecution, a York County jury has awarded a $150,000 verdict to a Rock Hill-area man for the county Sheriff’s Office…
N.C. Judge Convicted of Bribing a Public Official With Bud Light
Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Can the police search my car without a warrant?” When Judge Arnold O. Jones II asked a Wayne County Sheriff’s Deputy to dig around in Jones’ wife’s text message records between her and another man, the deputy didn’t tell him…
Riot Charges Dropped for 1 Dakota Pipeline Journalist; Other Still Faces 45 Years in Prison
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Can I be arrested without evidence against me?” The term “riot” is a sensitive one in many cities across the nation these days, including in the Queen City. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police arrested at least 72 people over the six (6) days of…
Could Trump Throw Hillary In Jail?
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Should I ever plead guilty to a charge?” For those following the 2016 election, it’s been a very interesting past year or so, to say the least. No one could have predicted many of the headline-grabbing events that have occurred, including…
New DWI Deadlines: One May Help Defendants, the Other Helps…Court Scheduling?
Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “What steps should I be taking outside legal guidance to help my DWI case?” Two (2) new deadlines for DWI trials in North Carolina took effect at the beginning of this month, and it’s a mixed bag for defendants. One of…