Articles Tagged with criminal sentencing

Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony?”

Imagine a scenario in which two individuals in North Carolina commit the same exact felony crime. Should their charges and sentencing be equal? While many people may instinctively answer “Yes,” the reality (as any experienced criminal defense attorney may be quick to point out) is much more complicated.

Charlotte DWI Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “If I simply intend to plead guilty, why do I need a lawyer?”

North Carolina law does not have mandatory minimum sentences for most criminal offenses. In most criminal cases, prosecutors can offer a plea bargain while judges have discretion over the sentences they impose.

Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “If I have an outstanding warrant, what should I do?”

When you think of deadly weapons most people imagine the classics: guns and knives. Crimes that include heightened penalties for being committed with deadly weapons thus typically involve defendants who had a gun or knife in their possession at the time. Though this is true in many cases, there are plenty of other items that have been deemed deadly weapons. The Florida Supreme Court will soon weigh in on this issue and decide whether an automobile ought to be deemed a deadly weapon.

Charlotte Criminal Lawyer Brad Smith answers the question: “What is the difference between a misdemeanor and a felony?”

A commonly repeated trope of the criminal justice system is that lady justice is blind. We say this because we hope that all are treated fairly before the law. The hope is that only evidence, cold hard facts, play a role in determining guilt or innocence, not a person’s money, family, background, race, or looks. Though there are reasons to doubt how true this is in practice, especially in years past, it’s been an ideal worth striving for. A recent study appears to indicate that there is plenty of room left to strive, concluding that a person’s physical appearance can have an impact on criminal sentencing.

J. Bradley Smith of Arnold & Smith, PLLC answers the question: “I was found not guilty of a charge, why does my record still show the charge?”

The West Virginia Supreme Court recently issued an important decision that will help clear up questions regarding the rights of criminal defendants when it comes to making plea deals. Though the impact of the case is currently limited only to those defendants located in West Virginia, expert say that the case will likely have implications elsewhere given the strength and clarity of the decision.

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