At last, Google has launched a resource aimed at lawyers. If you're a lawyer, you're locked into paying for either Westlaw or for Lexis-Nexis. Those are the dominant players in the electronic legal research market. But their services are awful. Very poorly constructed, very difficult to use, very slow, hard to learn a new ...
Getting Limited Driving Privileges Restored in Wake County, North Carolina
If you blow a .08 or higher or refuse to take a breath or blood test at the time you are stopped for a DWI/DUI in North Carolina, you will have your driver's license revoked. The arresting officer will likely confiscate your driver's license, and hold it. If your license has been has been revoked ...
DWI Checkpoints – Protecting your Rights in Raleigh, Cary, or Apex
Charlotte police officers arrested dozens over the weekend on charges of Driving While Impaired (DWI), also known as driving under the influence (DUI), or simply drunk driving. I've received calls about a Raleigh police checkpoint over this past weekend as well. If you've stopped at a drunk driving checkpoint in Wake County, or surrounding ...
The Hills star enters rehab after DUI Arrest
Stephanie Pratt, one of the young "actresses" on MTV's "The Hills," has agreed to enter a 30-day rehab after being arrested on DUI charges last month. In most cases in North Carolina, a 30-day rehab would be overkill. I recommend clients do get an alcohol assessment if they've been arrested for Driving ...
Alibi Defense: Facebook Status Proves Defendant Didn’t Do It
The New York Times reports that Rodney Bradford, a 19-year-old living in New York, has been cleared of charges that he committed a robbery when his defense attorney provided proof to the District Attorney that his client had actually been at his father's apartment, making an entry on Facebook.The DA subpoenaed the ...
Eye Witness Testimony: Not Reliable
There are all kinds of studies that show that eyewitnesses are not very reliable. Eyewitnesses will swear up and down that they saw a 25 year old white male in shorts and grey t-shirt. Or that they saw a 35 year old black male, about 5'4, wearing jeans and a hoodie. They will swear ...
LegalMatch. Just another legal referral service?
I recently had some conversations with a Legal Match representative about using their referral system. They're looking for criminal lawyers in Raleigh, Cary, and Apex for their service.Frankly, I was unimpressed. First, Legal Match's founder was indicted and pleaded guilty and eventually served a probationary sentence for accessing a competitor's voicemails ...
The pressure to plead in Wake County. Piling up the charges.
Most people don't realize that the severe penalties that are attached to many crimes in North Carolina and in the United States create real pressure on defendants to plead guilty, even when they are not guilty of the crime. Ironically, offering a defendant a very "sweet" or favorable plea deal can have the power to pressure ...
Reckless driving in Toronto!
In North Carolina, this would almost certain count as reckless driving, and fleeing the scene of an accident. A Toronto area woman has been arrested in the following parking fiasco in suburban Toronto parking lot. The woman drove her BMW X5 SUV into the parking lot, apparently hit the gas, not the ...
Too Good to be True? Man in Breathalyzer Costume Gets DUI?
I don't know if this is a true story, but it sure is funny. Apparently a teenage student was pulled over early on the morning after Halloween and arrested for a DUI... while wearing a Breathalyzer costume.The man had almost twice the legal limit of alcohol in his blood, and was later ...
