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 [...]