Criminal Defense Blog | Page 3 of 4

Can You Get a DUI on a Bicycle in NC?

You Can Get a DWI in NC Without Driving a Car: Bicycles, Boats, and More Did you know under North Carolina law a person can be charged with a DWI, even if they are not necessarily driving a car? YES, you could be charged with a DWI without ever [...]

What’s the difference between DUI and DWI

Have you heard people use the terms DUI and DWI and wondered what the difference between them was? DWI stands for Driving While Impaired and DUI means Driving Under the Influence. Although you often hear both terms used, the state of North Carolina does not make a distinction between them. Prior to 1983 there [...]

NC Juvenile Justice Reform Gains Support

Reforming Juvenile Justice: North Carolina's Push to Protect 16- and 17-Year-Olds North Carolina is one of two remaining states to treat 16 and 17 year old's accused of crimes as adults in the criminal justice system. Under a law that took effect in 1919, [...]

Settlement Reached in Lawsuit Against Kernersville Police Officers

You may recall from our previous blog that Dummit Fradin represented a Surry County couple against five Kernersville police officers accused of misconduct. Just weeks before the case was set to go to trial,a settlement has been reached in favor of plaintiffs Teresa Blackburn and Adrian Martinez-Perez. The lawsuit alleged that the police officers [...]

Expunction / Expungement: Cleaning Up a Criminal Record

Clearing Your Criminal Record: A Guide to Expunction in North Carolina Introduction to Expunction Whether you call it an expunction or expungement (they are used interchangeably), the process by which one can wipe their criminal record clean is a great tool and one that may prove [...]

During a Police Pat Down, Can The Officer Seize Anything that He Finds On Me?

Police Pat-Down Search and the Plain Feel Doctrine in North Carolina If you're stopped for a police pat down, also known as a terry stop, you may wonder if the police officer can take or seize whatever he find on you. As in most cases, [...]

Reduced Federal Sentencing Guidelines for Drug Offenses

Federal Sentencing Guidelines Amended: Reduced Sentences for Drug Trafficking Offenses The United States Sentencing Commission ("USSC"), an independent agency in the judicial branch, has voted unanimously to amend the federal sentencing guidelines to reduce the sentences for most drug trafficking offenses. Perhaps most notably, this amendment [...]

Probation Violation: Absconding

← Back to NC General Criminal Defense Understanding Probation Violation: What You Need to Know About Absconding in North Carolina As a law firm that focuses on criminal defense in North Carolina, we've received many questions about probation violations. Below is a question we got from [...]

Halloween Masks and the Law

Is It Illegal to Wear a Mask on Halloween? Leaves are changing, the air is getting cooler (at least some days), and Christmas trees are beginning to appear in department stores everywhere. These signs can only mean one thing: Halloween is on its way. That’s a [...]

Can You Get Sexual Assault Charges Dropped in NC?

Can Sexual Assault Charges Be Dropped in North Carolina? Dropping Sexual Assault Charges in North Carolina Yes, it is possible to get sexual assault charges dropped in NC. While the State's evidence against you may be enough to support your arrest and a sex crime charge, [...]