Protecting your legal rights during a traffic stop is crucial. If you do not enforce your rights, you could face serious criminal charges. There are three rights you can exercise during a traffic stop if the police ask you questions, want to search your vehicle or...
When police officers arrive at a private residence, they typically announce themselves. They knock at the front door and claim that they need to talk or ask a specific person a few questions. Frequently, they then ask to enter the property. People facing criminal...
Facing drug charges is serious enough, but when aggravating factors come into play, the penalties can become much more severe. Think of them as triggers that set off a tougher legal battle, giving prosecutors justification for harsher sentencing. What might have been...
People who are in police custody should be told their specific rights governing the interaction. These are known as Miranda rights because of a case that went before the United States Supreme Court in 1966. That case set the standard that police officers must tell...
There are many different potential ways to counter pending criminal charges. Sometimes, defense attorneys can prevent the use of certain evidence and secure the dismissal of pending charges. Other times, there might be a better way to analyze the evidence or another...
When motorists share the road with other road users, they have a responsibility to comply with traffic regulations. Traffic laws aim to maintain order and the safety of all road users. Among the most serious traffic violations that motorists can be charged with are...
You may have heard the phrase “fruit of the poisonous tree” on a TV show and just thought of it as a quaint piece of legal jargon from another era. In fact, it’s a crucial legal doctrine that can make all the difference between a criminal case proceeding or being...
As soon as your teenager receives their driver's permit (and before), they are bombarded with DUI public service announcements (PSAs). We're all familiar with "Stay Alive, Don't Drink & Drive," "Friends Don't Let Friends Drive Drunk" and "Buzzed Driving is Drunk...
When police officers arrest people, they are generally required to – to a very minimal degree – educate those individuals about their rights. If any questioning occurs while an individual is in state custody, the individual should receive the Miranda warning...
Virginia has relatively thorough traffic statutes. Drivers accused of significant traffic infractions face assertive enforcement efforts and potentially significant penalties. If the state accuses a driver of reckless behavior on the road, they may face criminal...
