Refusing a Chemical Test During a DUI Investigation: The Supreme Court’s Recent Ruling: A look at the Supreme Court’s most recent ruling on what counts as “refusing” a chemical test. If you ever find yourself in a position where a police officer suspects that you are intoxicated and is asking if you will submit to a chemical test, your actions are just as important, if not more, than your words when it comes to determining…
Are you or someone you know undergoing a potential grand jury proceeding or facing an indictment? Need help understanding what it all means? This blog will go through the different terms and procedures that most often occur in the indictment and grand jury process. Grand juries are very laid back as compared to typical pre-trial court settings. Most times there is not a judge or defense attorney present and it is just the prosecutor and…
Without question, one of the most important things to anyone that works or lives a normal life is the ability to drive, to drive often, and to drive all over. And, this is made even more evident when someone has their license taken away — for any period of time. The inconvenience of nothing having a license is unparalleled. Many have characterized it as a jail-like sentence — relegating people to their homes, unable to…
Criminal Legal Process Common Terms In today’s blog we look at some of the commonly used terms and parties that are part of the process of a criminals case. Look at is as a practical definition of each item. Many times the parties involved in the criminal process forget that someone that is arrested is experiencing the process for the first time, we will try to simplify and make the system a bit more understandable….
The Next Steps after a Dissolution Petition It is important to know what to expect after a dissolution action has been filed. Every situation is based on different facts, personalities, finances, and issues. Those differences make it impossible for an attorney to predict the exact outcome or timeline of an individual case but there are basic guidelines that each dissolution follows. Per Indiana Code, at least 60 days must pass from the time the dissolution…
Statute of Limitations on Criminal Offenses in Indiana Worried that you’ve done something that may result in criminal charges being filed against you? For most crimes, there is a limit on how much time can pass between when the crime was committed and when charges are filed. If the State of Indiana waits too long to file charges then they are barred from prosecution and the person cannot then be held criminally liable for the…
What Happens At a Sentencing Hearing in Indiana? There are many situations where someone can be facing a sentencing hearing. Sentencing hearings typically happen after a trial or plea when a person has already been determined guilty, or after a violation of probation has been determined and the next step is to argue the potential sentence a person must serve. A sentencing hearing is one of the most important stages of any criminal proceeding as…
A Look at the Charge of Reckless Homicide in Indiana When watching the news, it’s impossible to make it through an entire hour of local or national stories without hearing the word “homicide” at least once. Heck, in Chicago alone, over 750 people were killed in 2015…that’s right, over 750 people….close to 2 people a day. Almost everyone when they hear the word “homicide” automatically thinks of someone acting deliberately to kill or harm another…