criminal matters

Courts Allow Computers To Weigh In On Criminal Cases

Published on: February 7, 2018 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony?”

If you have seen the movie “Minority Report” starring Tom Cruise, you are familiar with some of the scary and seemingly futuristic ways that technology could come to influence the criminal justice system. Though we are not in danger of implementing some of the most terrifying ideas found in the movie, it is undoubtedly true that technological advancements are playing a greater and greater role in courthouses all across the country. We must all begin to grapple with these changes and decide how far we are comfortable letting computers and artificial intelligence shape our justice system.

Supreme Court Agrees To Decide Case Concerning Cellphone Privacy

Published on: June 7, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “Should I talk to the police?”

As technology improves, it’s all but guaranteed that some enterprising criminal will find new ways to perpetrate crimes. After all, where there’s a will, it won’t be long until there’s a way. Though technological advancement has proven useful for those perpetrating crimes, it’s proven to be even more of a boon for those investigating criminal matters. Police have stayed several steps ahead of the courts, taking advantage of ambiguities in the law to use technology for their benefit.

Plea Bargaining and Criminal Law

Published on: May 3, 2017 | On behalf of Arnold & Smith, PLLC

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

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wRNgcf2GsDY

When most people think of the criminal justice system, they likely imagine something similar to an episode of Law & Order. Police officers testifying, prosecutors and defense attorneys arguing, judges slamming gavels and jurors listening in rapt attention. According to experts, while this may be the way things happen on television, it is most assuredly not typical in the real world. An overwhelming majority of cases are resolved through plea bargaining, something that few people fully understand despite the important impact it has on our criminal justice system.