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Articles Posted in North Carolina

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Vandalism and North Carolina’s Hate Crime Law

Charlotte DWI and Criminal Defense Attorney J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question: What are the long term effects of being convicted of a crime?   Police officers in North Carolina are on alert after a recent incident of vandalism left many unsettled. The graffiti wasn’t merely…

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Self-defense argument ineffective as former Raleigh teacher is found guilty of first-degree murder

J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony?”   Joanna Madonna was found guilty of first-degree murder on Monday, September 28th, in what had been a highly publicized trial in the North Carolina capital. The former Wake…

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North Carolina Teens Reach Deal With Prosecutors Over Sexting

Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers : I was found not guilty of a charge, but my record still shows the charge   Two North Carolina teens have reached deals with prosecutors and are now able to move on with their lives, avoiding jail time and registration as sex offenders.…

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Teen sexting case highlights severity of N.C. sex offender laws

Charlotte DWI and Criminal Defense Attorney J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Can the police search my car without a warrant?”   A North Carolina teenager faces felony sex crime charges after police discovered sexually explicit photographs of a sixteen-year-old girl on his cell phone.…

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North Carolina Legislators Consider Creating New “Cyberstalking” Crime

Charlotte DWI and Criminal Defense Attorney J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “If I simply intend to plead guilty, why do I need a lawyer?”   As technology continues to change and grow increasingly complex, so do the opportunities for unsavory characters to misuse it.…

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9-year-old stabbed to death by 13-year-old brings attention to criminal juvenile court system

Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “What is an expungement?”   A very sad case out of Michigan recently made headlines involving a 13-year-old boy on trial for murder. The case is especially tragic because the 13-year-old stands accused of killing a 9-year-old,…

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Life imitates art in Big Lebowski-esque wrong-car smashup

J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC responds to “The person that called the police doesn’t want to press charges, can I still be prosecuted?”   A twenty-two-year old Florida man brought a scene from Joel and Ethan Cohen’s 1998 feature film The Big Lebowski to life last week…

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Visiting child’s school will now necessitate fingerprinting, criminal background checks

Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers: A past conviction is keeping me from finding work what can I do?   The mother of a Pennsylvania third grader has learned, in an indirect way, the ages-old axiom that “good facts make bad law.” Pennsylvania is home to Pennsylvania State University. The…

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Police officer seeks dismissal of conviction related to fantasy of killing, eating women

J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Can I be arrested without evidence against me?”   The prosecution of a former New York City police officer who federal prosecutors say participated in “a concerted criminal plot to kidnap and eat women” has raised concerns that his…

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Prison is far from an ideal place to be pregnant

Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: What are the long term effects of being convicted of a crime?   Like countless mothers across the United States, Laura Strange spent two hours cradling her newborn daughter Haley in her arms. Unlike most mothers, however, the twenty-five-year-old’s ankle was cuffed…

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