Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Should I ever plead guilty to a charge?”
Everyone knows that you have the right to plead “not guilty” to criminal charges filed against you. Meanwhile, “guilty” pleas are usually used when a person is taking a plea bargain in exchange for a reduction in charges or sentencing from the prosecution.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question:”What is an expungement?”
The Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC) recently announced that people responsible for serious environmental crimes could be prosecuted by the court. The announcement represents a shift for the ICC, which has long focused on prosecuting warlords and tyrants for crimes committed against humanity.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “What should parents tell their children to do when interacting with police officers?”
If you’ve been following the news closely you’ve likely seen articles about a recent rash of clown sightings. The stories have popped up everywhere, in North Carolina, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Ohio and many other places, including some international sightings. Though little has been reported in the way of harm, the reports of clowns roaming around late at night has been enough to unsettle many people, assuming that there must be a sinister motivation.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Should I talk to the police?”
There’s been a recent push by legislatures in some states to pass what are known as “Blue Lives Matter” laws. This broad category refers to measures intended to stiffen penalties faced by offenders who perpetrate crimes against police officers. Supporters say the laws are necessary to send the message that police officers are worthy of respect and deserve special protection. Critics argue these laws are unnecessary, as violence against police officers is already punished and, in many cases, serves as an aggravating factor when weighing punishment for various crimes.
Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Is there more than one way for police to charge a person with DWI?”
The Florida Supreme Court recently ruled to permanently disbar two Tampa civil attorneys for one of the most movie-plot-level setups the Court said it had ever seen: setting up their opposing counsel for a DUI arrest in the middle of trial.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Am I allowed to videotape an interaction with police? Can they make me stop filming?”
Whether you’re an avid catcher of Pikachus or are convinced the era of technology taking over is upon us, you’ve no doubt noticed Pokémon’s rather public reentrance into society lately. Advocates have lauded Pokémon Go’s ability to get gamers off the couch and moving…and get them moving it has. Some have walked straight into varying degrees of trouble with the law, including one man with an open warrant for his arrest who wandered by his local police station to battle his creatures there. Other reports have fallen more on the crime fighting side—two Go players helped catch a man wanted for attempted murder, and one woman found a dead body in her Pokémon Go meanderings.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “How is getting charged with a crime on a college campus different from being charged off campus?”
Anyone with access to the internet has likely heard about the mess Ryan Lochte and his fellow American Olympic swimmers recently got themselves into in Brazil. The group of four Olympians initially claimed that they were the victims of a robbery, appearing to be yet another example of how Rio is a dangerous place. Days later, a different story began to emerge, one which seems to indicate the group was behaving more like spoiled frat boys than heroic Olympians.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony?”
After a plot straight from the popular sitcom Seinfeld went awry, a Michigan man is facing five (5) years in prison for a felony count of beverage return of non-refundable bottles.
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?”
NASA just reported that May 2016 was the hottest month our planet has ever had—and North Carolina’s sweltering temperatures have been no exception. Given that summer is now here it seems as good a time as any to remind people of the dangers of leaving small children and pets in hot vehicles.
Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony?”
For pop culture junkies the Taylor Swift/Kanye West feud dates back a long way, to 2009, to be precise. It was then that Kanye stormed the MTV VMA stage, interrupting Swift’s acceptance speech. The episode garnered tremendous media attention, an outpouring of support for Taylor and scorn for Kanye. The two stars have had several run-ins since, with Swift penning a few thinly-veiled songs about Kanye and Kanye continuing to court controversy.
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