Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Blog

Civil Suit Looms for Wealthy Raleigh Couple Found Not Guilty of Aiding Underage Drinking at Wedding

Published on: August 6, 2015 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “What should I do if I have been pulled over and I have been drinking ?”

As the Kerrick trial dominates the Charlotte headlines, a different trial attracted the attention of Raleigh residents last week. On July 27, trial commenced in an action against a Raleigh couple accused of providing alcohol to minors at a 2014 wedding. Raleigh-based neurologist Dr. Charles Matthews, 59, and his wife, Kimberly Matthews, 52, were on trial in Wake County Superior Court, charged with four counts of aiding and abetting underage possession and consumption of alcohol.

North Carolina Criminal Makes It Hard On His Defense Attorney

Published on: August 4, 2015 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: What is an expungement?

In a case that will surely make headlines across the country, a man from Clayton, North Carolina has been arrested after police say he left his wallet at the scene of the crime. Being arrested and charged with a crime is bad enough and often requires the skills of an experienced attorney to help defend your freedom and argue on behalf of innocence. Putting on a strong defense goes from merely difficult to nearly impossible when the burglar leaves behind a picture ID at the victim’s house. If recent news reports are true, this means that Joseph Alan Sherman’s attorney is going to need all the help he can get.

Law Firm Partner Faces Criminal Charges After Drunken Outburst On Flight From Charlotte

Published on: July 28, 2015 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: What are the long term effects of being convicted of a crime?

A partner at a major national law firm is currently experiencing the fallout from a series of bad decisions she made during a recent flight from Charlotte, NC to London. The case illustrates not only the dangers of mixing alcohol and prescription sleep drugs, but also the serious penalties that can result from misbehavior onboard an airplane.

Rescue of Carrie Underwood’s baby and dogs locked in vehicle serves as reminder of North Carolina’s Good Samaritan law.

Published on: July 20, 2015 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

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?”

Carrie Underwood tried to warn us ten years ago of the damage she can inflict on a vehicle. In her 2005 hit song, “Before He Cheats,” Underwood sings of taking a Louisville slugger to a cheating boyfriend’s truck headlights. That Louisville slugger would have come in handy on July 11^th, albeit under very different circumstances.

Use of criminal law to address societal problems leads to over-criminalization

Published on: June 4, 2015 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Should I ever plead guilty to a charge?”

The passage of the Controlled Substances Act by the United States Congress in 1970 represented perhaps the largest single legislative effort to address societal problems by use of the criminal law.

High court invokes ancient legal principle to throw out man’s social-media conviction

Published on: June 2, 2015 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Can I be arrested without evidence against me?”

The United States Supreme Court has thrown out the conviction of a man who prosecutors accused of threatening his wife, coworkers, a kindergarten class and law-enforcement officials in online social-media posts.

Legislator moves to criminalize sex “procured by fraud,” jail offenders for 20 years

Published on: May 28, 2015 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Should I talk to the police?”

A man after a woman’s heart may be prone to a bit of puffery, but legislators in New Jersey want to criminalize that puffery when it rises to the level of deception.

Craigslist-post conviction thrown out; criminal defamation law ruled unconstitutional

Published on: May 26, 2015 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Should I ever plead guilty to a charge?”

The axiom that “The truth shall set you free” is, in my opinion, a bit overused and often used out of context. The quote—from the eighth chapter of the Gospel according to John, in the New Testament of the Bible—is quite specific in its meaning.

Class action challenges alleged police quota system, non-PC criminal summonses

Published on: May 21, 2015 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question “Can I be arrested without evidence against me?”

Five years after he was issued two criminal summonses by a New York City police officer for alleged trespassing and disorderly conduct, twenty-four-year-old Sharif L. Stinson is the lead plaintiff in a class action lawsuit against the City of New York alleging that police officers—under the pressure of a Police Department quota system—“have engaged in an illegal pattern and practice of issuing summonses,” according to the New York Times.

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

Published on: May 19, 2015 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

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 by accidentally smashing up a stranger’s car in a fit of misdirected rage.