Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “If I simply intend to plead guilty, why do I need a lawyer?” In a bizarre episode, police in Raleigh say that the man caught on camera breaking into the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences over the weekend has surrendered to authorities.…
Articles Posted in Criminal Defense
Carolina Woman Stabs Roomie Over Bad Taste In Music :: Charlotte North Carolina DWI DUI Criminal Attorney Lawyer
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “A past conviction is keeping me from finding work what can I do?” A South Carolina woman with passionate tastes in music allegedly stabbed her roommate multiple times after the 64-year-old man refused to stop playing the Eagles on repeat. According to police…
New North Carolina Law Permits Attorneys In College Disciplinary Actions :: Charlotte North Carolina DWI DUI Criminal Attorney Lawyer
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “What is an expungement?” A new law signed last week by North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory will allow students at public universities in North Carolina to hire an attorney to help guide them through the difficult and confusing process of handling disciplinary charges.…
Police Departments Use Facial Recognition Software To Scan Social Media Sites :: Charlotte North Carolina DWI DUI Criminal Attorney Lawyer
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “A past conviction is keeping me from finding work what can I do?” A recent and worrisome trend among some police departments should have criminals deleting their Facebook and Instagram accounts. News out of New York indicates that officers in the NYPD are…
North Carolina’s “Stand Your Ground” Law :: Charlotte North Carolina DWI DUI Criminal Attorney Lawyer
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “Is there more than one way for police to convict a DWI?” In light of the recent controversial decision in the Trayvon Martin case, many people have been discussing the self-defense laws on the books in other states and some may wonder what…
North Carolina Supreme Court Confronts Confrontation Clause :: Charlotte North Carolina DWI DUI Criminal Attorney Lawyer
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “Can the police search my car without a warrant?” Many people know that the U.S. Constitution affords criminal defendants the right to confront their accusers. Though that seems clear enough, the North Carolina Supreme Court has recently wrestled with the problem of what…
North Carolina Prescription Drug Fraud Leads To Arrests :: Charlotte North Carolina DWI DUI Criminal Attorney Lawyer
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “A past conviction is keeping me from finding work what can I do?” Authorities say two individuals have been arrested for using phony prescriptions to get painkillers from pharmacies across North and South Carolina. The two individuals, Steven Rhodes and Heather DeYoung, were…
New, Harsher Guidelines Cannot Be Used When Sentencing Criminals For Older Crimes :: Charlotte North Carolina DWI DUI Criminal Attorney Lawyer
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “If I simply intend to plead guilty, why do I need a lawyer?” A divided Supreme Court ruled in an important case last week that it is unconstitutional for judges to use current federal sentencing guidelines if they contain harsher penalties than the…
North Carolinians Sentenced To Jail Time For Illegal Hunting :: Charlotte North Carolina DWI DUI Criminal Attorney Lawyer
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “What is an expungement?” Though hunting is usually thought of as a low-key weekend activity among friends or family, a recent cases shows how in some cases it can turn into quite a serious matter. A federal judge in the Western District of…
Salinas v. Texas Case Says Silence Can Be Used Against You :: Charlotte North Carolina DWI DUI Criminal Attorney Lawyer
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “A past conviction is keeping me from finding work what can I do?” In an important divided criminal law decision released earlier this week, the U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to say that silence can be used against defendants in certain circumstances. The…