In the mid-1990s North Carolina created a structured sentencing system for misdemeanors and felonies committed after December 1, 1995. I recently observed a case where the alleged crime had been committed in 1992, and in that case the defendant was sentenced under the old North Carolina sentencing system. But for all felonies or misdemeanors alleged to have ...
Tag Archive: criminal lawyer
Thoughts from a Raleigh Criminal Lawyer: Melendez-Diaz v. Massachusetts
This post is about a technical area of the law, so if you're not interested in Evidence Law or the Confrontation Clause, this won't interest you.The United States Constitution says that defendants have the right to confront witnesses who testify against them. This is the general constitutional rule that prevents hearsay in criminal ...
Make your Court Dates in Wake County, North Carolina
So you've been arrested or gotten a ticket. And you've got a court date. But you've lost the little piece of paper on which the court date was written. Or you didn't hear the judge when he spoke really quickly and gave you your court date. Or you're really nervous and don't know what ...
Advice from a Criminal Lawyer: Facebook, MySpace, Social Networking
MySpace, Facebook, Social Networking... all the kids are doing the social networking thing these days. Twittering too! A lot of adults also use these tools, including LinkedIn and on and on. They're fun, they're great ways to keep in touch with friends, to reconnect with old friends, and to share what's going on in your ...
I’ve heard private attorneys are expensive. Can I afford a Raleigh, Cary, or Apex criminal attorney?
If you're thinking that a criminal lawyer is going to cost you tens of thousands of dollars, I'm here to tell you that's wrong. Now, it's true, some cases are very complex, and if you're charged with murder, it's going to cost you a chunk of change in order to hire a criminal lawyer, not to ...
A plea machine or a Raleigh trial attorney. Which would you prefer?
Someone asked me a few weeks ago whether I was really intending to help him with his case, or whether I was just eager to get it over with. This was after I had recommended the plea offer because, in his circumstances, it was about the best he was going to do. I think he was ...
What is a B1 Felony in North Carolina?
In North Carolina, since the mid-1990s, the state has had a structured sentencing system for crimes. Felonies are categorized by letter (A through I). Misdemeanors are handled separately, and categorized by (A1 - most serious - to Class 3). A Class A felony is first degree murder, punishable either by death or by life (without parole). ...
Advice from a Raleigh Criminal Lawyer: How can talking to a criminal defense lawyer protect me?
A criminal lawyer - whether he's in Apex, Raleigh, or Cary - knows what to expect from the process. He's been through it many, many times before. He knows what your rights are, and he knows how to protect them. Simple things: like preparing your family for your possible arrest, making sure you don't talk ...
Thoughts from a Raleigh Criminal Lawyer: Should I talk to police
I often get this question from clients or potential clients: The police are investigating a crime. They want to talk to me. They've called my house, asking me to go down to the police. I've got nothing to hide. Should I go down to talk to police. The answer is general no. I don't care whether you ...
10 Reasons to Talk to a Raleigh Criminal Lawyer
There are good criminal lawyers out there, particularly in Apex, Cary, and Raleigh, North Carolina. And there are good reasons to talk to a criminal lawyer if you think you might be the subject of a criminal investigation. 1) A criminal lawyer will advise you not to talk to police, not to talk to any investigative ...