Year: 2017
A recent United States Court of Appeals decision highlights one of the potential consequences of a North Carolina criminal conviction: a significantly increased sentence for subsequent crimes. United States v. Thompson Shawntanna Lemarus Thompson pled guilty to a drug offense and being a felon in possession of a firearm. A federal North Carolina District Court increased…
The North Carolina Supreme Court recently decided that a drug dog sniff does not improperly prolong a traffic stop under certain circumstances. In State v. Bullock, the North Carolina Supreme Court considered whether a drug dog sniff unreasonably extended the duration of a traffic stop in violation of the 4th Amendment Constitutional protection against unreasonable search and seizure….
Domestic violence cases can be incredibly complex. Dismissal rates are staggering, as people who are involved in disputes with intimate partners and/or family members are often uncooperative (due to various, intricate aspects of domestic violence) or are bound by spousal privilege laws. Although much work needs to be done in terms of increasing cooperativeness in…
Two hundred years before cell phones, the founding fathers enacted the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to protect our citizens’ privacy. After suffering and escaping the King’s “general” search and seizure activities without any warrants, much less probable cause, the colonies stood against any such activities, albeit after years of debate. The result was…
A few months back, the Supreme Court announced that it would review a decision made by the U.S. Court of Appeals’ 6th Circuit Decision in the controversial case, Carpenter v. United States. The potential landmark case has cultivated an array of questions concerning the fourth amendment and the extent of its protections in regard to government…
When a large auto accident occurs on North Carolina highways, it is the duty of state troopers to take pictures and make measurements in an effort to determine what happened. No matter how much manpower is present on the scene of an accident, it oftentimes takes a number of hours and sometimes days to gather…
North Carolina’s license reinstatement process resembles that of the majority of states in the nation. This process entails that state motorists who break traffic laws and get their licenses rescinded undergo their suspension or revocation periods. Once this period comes to an end, residents typically pay restoration fees and reapply for their license. Drivers are…
Wrongful convictions occur every year in the United States at staggering rates. Last year, a total of 166 people were exonerated for crimes they didn’t commit, setting a record for the most people absolved in a year’s time, according to data collected by the National Registry of Exonerations. As disconcerting as this number is, it merely…
Open container violations have invariably accompanied DWI and DUI charges and convictions in most states. However, a recent slew of appeals in open container cases reveal that the charge’s applicability and enforcement in these jurisdictions are often misconceived by both police departments and civilians alike. Among such cases, is a situation involving a North Carolina…
The most disheartening aspect of a divorce is that no one is ever truly prepared for one. On the day of their union, couples are filled with hope that their marriage will be the one that lasts. But as time progresses and life hurls problems their way, some people find themselves so unhappy that divorce,…