Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “Can the police search my car without a warrant?” A recent article in the Huffington Post dealt with the issue of some state crime labs being impacted by the danger of cognitive bias. The author of the study notes that when crime lab…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “A past conviction is keeping me from finding work what can I do?” A South Carolina woman with passionate tastes in music allegedly stabbed her roommate multiple times after the 64-year-old man refused to stop playing the Eagles on repeat. According to police…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “If I simply intend to plead guilty, why do I need a lawyer?” In a bizarre episode earlier this month, police say four people were shot at an anti-violence rally sponsored by the Mothers of Murdered Offspring. Police say the vigil, meant to…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “Should I talk to the police?” An officer with the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department has been charged with voluntary manslaughter and is now in custody after authorities say he was involved in the fatal shooting of an unarmed man over the weekend. According to…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “If I simply intend to plead guilty, why do I need a lawyer?” Most people would be surprised to hear that a recent DEA (U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration) seizure of $814.22 received much if any attention. After all, the DEA is used to…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “Can the police search my car without a warrant?” One federal court judge issued an important opinion recently that will help to counter the federal government’s attempt to comb through the emails and other online actions of Americans. What is even more surprising…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “A past conviction is keeping me from finding work what can I do?” In a shocking statistic that would likely stun most North Carolinians, 1.5 million out of the state’s 9.5 million residents had a criminal record at the end of 2010. Even…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “What is an expungement?” A new law signed last week by North Carolina Governor Pat McCrory will allow students at public universities in North Carolina to hire an attorney to help guide them through the difficult and confusing process of handling disciplinary charges.…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony?” It’s not too often that meth manufacturers call the cops on themselves. A recent article in the Huffington Post should serve as a good example to would be drug dealers of what kind…
Attorney J. Bradley Smith answering the question: “What are the long term effects of being convicted of a crime?” In an interesting case that was just decided this week in Raleigh, a state appeals court panel held that North Carolina’s current requirement that sex offenders be banned from social networking…