There are several ways a person can be impaired behind the wheel, but today's focus is on alcohol specifically. The reason drunk driving accidents happen is that alcohol significantly reduces brain function. It causes a driver to have impaired reasoning and muscle coordination. Logic is also affected. Many drivers are under the impression that they can drive while intoxicated. The reality is they cannot, and there are innocent victims on the road who will suffer. According [...]

You know those wedding videos where you see the bridesmaids and groomsmen surprise the happy couple with a “spontaneous” choreographed dance? Or the social posts of, say, a groom with shoes that say “help me!” on the bottom, or some other trick? Wedding pranks – no matter how you feel about them – are popular with certain couples and their friends, and that’s all well and good as long as no one gets hurt. One bride [...]

Bonnaroo was put on hold in 2020 and 2021 because of the Coronavirus pandemic. The popular music festival makes a triumphant return to the schedule this June. With that being said, are you planning to make the pilgrimage to Bonnaroo? If so, it might be a good idea to keep your behavior in check to avoid arrest. No matter how diligent you might be in staying out of trouble, trouble might just find you. The experienced [...]

The world, and our society within it, is constantly changing. As we develop as a whole, our views, morals, knowledge, and entire cultures reflect these developments, and that’s great! That being said, not everything goes through these changes and progress at the same time or even in the same way — especially when it comes to the law. Seriously, it takes a LOT for laws to change, and even then it’s usually in incremental, tiny ways. [...]

It’s a general presumption that people should know what activities are considered crimes in Tennessee. You shouldn’t steal. If you hit someone, you’ll probably be arrested. If you drive over the speed limit, you’ll be ticketed. If you sell drugs, you’re breaking the law. It’s normally not an excuse to say, “But Your Honor, I thought what I was doing was legal.” Still, there are times that even a judge might be surprised that something is [...]

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed how we all live in many ways. One of those ways is when criminal defendants have their day in court. Due to the danger of contracting the disease, before vaccinations, many trials were postponed. The delay affected jury trials throughout the United States. While the delays are understandable because of public safety concerns, the delays are still preventing defendants from having their day in court. Worse, many defendants who can’t afford [...]

In February 2021, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) heard oral arguments involving the need for the police to obtain warrants to enter the home of people suspected of having committed a misdemeanor or minor crime. The Court had previously ruled that the police can enter a home of felons who flee. The Fourth Amendment to the US Constitution provides that people are protected from unreasonable searches and seizures – and that the police [...]

Every jury trial has risks. There are no guarantees that any juror will rule in your favor. However, there are often strong indicators that a member of the jury is inclined to find that there is a reasonable doubt as compared to other jury members. Every member of the jury has certain prejudices and biases whether it's the color of a defendant’s skin, the way a defendant looks, or automatically believing the testimony of a police [...]

 Should you talk to the police? You know were taught that the police are our friends, and they certainly are. They serve a valuable purpose, but when you're charged with a crime or you have the potential to be charged with a crime – perhaps you're a suspect, perhaps you're a witness, but likely you won't know which of the two you are – I would strongly recommend that you exercise your 5th amendment constitutional [...]

Many great movies have been made about criminal cases. Most are fictional, though some are based on true events. Movies about crimes are fascinating because there's always the suspense element of whether the person is guilty of the crime. There’s suspense around the abilities and skills of the lawyers who prosecute the case and defend their clients. While some crime movies are fun, the truly great ones raise moral and ethical questions about the criminal justice [...]