While being found guilty is devastating, there may still be ways to overturn the decision or reduce the sentence. There are different remedies that can be asserted depending on the facts of the case, the legal arguments that were made, and other factors. Here are the general rules.
After being found guilty, there is usually […]
Recently, Donald Q. Cochran, the United States Attorney for the Middle District of Tennessee, announced a new plan with Nashville Mayor David Briley to fight gun crime. The plan or initiative, according to Cochran, “is a proactive, forensics-based, data-driven strategy to reduce violent crime by focusing on the rapid collection, analysis, and investigation of […]
“RICO” is an abbreviation for the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act. The original purpose of the law, enacted in 1970, was to prosecute the Mafia, a then highly organized Italian-American criminal society. Prosecutors however have broadly used RICO to prosecute organized crime at its roots, with the goal of shutting down entire criminal […]
Jury selection is one of the most important parts of any criminal case. Criminal defense lawyers fight to include jurors who will not automatically assume the police officer is credible and that the State or government witnesses must be telling the truth. The Judge instructs the jury that any reasonable doubt means they must […]
If you are charged with drug possession, the government has the burden of proving you were in possession of drugs beyond a reasonable doubt. The defendant does not have to prove he/she was not in possession of the illegal drugs. Anyone charged with possession of illegal narcotics has the right to hold the government […]
The Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution provides rights for those accused of a crime. These rights include the right of the accused “to be confronted with the witnesses against him…” This part of the Amendment is known at the “confrontation” clause. It generally means that someone accused of a crime can cross-examine any […]
The Tennessee Bureau of Investigation has had a crime reporting system in place for the last 15 years. The Tennessee Incident Based Reporting System, or TIBRS, allows law enforcement departments throughout the state to submit data, which can then be compiled more easily and quickly to give the departments better insights into crime rates. […]
DUI statistics are always grim. 2017 was no different.
According to a Tennessee Highway Patrol announcement, the THP put extra time, officers and money into ensuring that this holiday travel is safe.
One of the goals for the year was to cut down on drunk driving. Between January 1 and December 24, 2017, THP officials arrested […]
Frequently, when an individual is charged with a crime, he or she files a Motion to Suppress and asks for a suppression hearing. The purpose is to ask the court to rule that particular evidence cannot be used in determining an individual’s guilt or innocence. When evidence is suppressed, the prosecutor may not use […]
In mid-April of 2017, John Kelly, the Homeland Security Secretary went on NBC’s “Meet the Press” to discuss changes to the types of criminal charges that can lead to deportation for immigrants. During the television broadcast, Secretary Kelly said, “Even a single DUI, depending on other aspects, would get you into the system.” Many […]
