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…
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…
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…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “What am I obligated to do if I’ve been pulled for Drinking and Driving?” According to a recent ACLU report, the State of North Carolina spent over $55 million enforcing marijuana possession laws in 2010. The civil rights group pointed out that not…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “What is an expungement?” A North Carolina man was arrested and charged with sexually abusing a Chihuahua dog this past week. According to local news reports, the 24-year-old man, Jeffrey Edward Bynner, was arrested at 12:41 a.m. and charged with “crimes against nature.”…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “A past conviction is keeping me from finding work what can I do?” A new criminal measure is getting attention in North Carolina as legislators consider changing a longstanding law which allows those over age 16 to be charged and prosecuted as adults.…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony?” Stealing underwear in North Carolina is no laughing matter. That’s the moral of a recent story out of Gastonia where police are actively searching for a person who is reported to have absconded…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “Do I need to hire an attorney if I have been falsely accused?” A recent incident involving criminals robbing a hotel in South Charlotte was solved thanks to the help of technology. While the cameras at the hotel were useful, another device that…
It was announced recently that several North Carolina communities would be pursuing money to put additional dashboard cameras in police cars. According to a recent report by WBTV, the city of Gastonia has announced its intention of purchasing some 60 in-dash cameras for Gastonia Police Department patrol cars. This comes…
According to a recent article by WCNC, a federal judge has sentenced a Goldsboro, NC man to 176 years in prison for his role in multiple robberies that took place across several months in eastern North Carolina. The U.S. Attorney’s office announced earlier this week that Domonic Devarrise Usher had…