Criminal Law

Jail Phone Calls — Is Someone Really Listening? YES! One of the biggest temptations for any defendant once they get behind bars is to call loved ones. Obviously, anyone in that situation would feel the need to reach out to their support group for help, advice, and/or direction. However, and almost without fail, we see instance after instance of inmates talking about the facts of their case to loved ones. And, in almost every single…

This week’s blog topic, the revamping of the Indiana Criminal Code, is a lengthy one.  For those interested in the Indiana Criminal Code though, it is well worth the read.  We start out with the drastic change to the sentencing scheme. If you or a loved one is facing any criminal charges, don’t hesitate to call our Indianapolis criminal lawyers at Banks & Brower, we offer free case evaluations and free consultations. Sentencing Class Current…

Resisting law enforcement is a charge that commonly gets tacked on after an arrest for another charge doesn’t go down as smoothly as the officer would like. The least serious form of resisting law enforcement is an A Misdemeanor, but various scenarios and actions can elevate the charge as high as a Class A Felony (or a Class 2 Felony beginning July 1, 2014). Some circumstances even require mandatory minimum sentences that may not be…

One of the most frequent types of cases that end up going to trial are sex crimes.  Many times these cases go to trial because they carry significant penalties that don’t come with most other offenses.  A sex offender in Indiana will many times be placed on “sex offender” probation.  This blog looks at the requirements of the Indiana sex offender probation. -The requirement to register.  One of the conditions of the probation is, if…

Indy 500/Memorial Day Blog   “Gentlemen, start your engines!”  Those four iconic words signal the beginning of the Indianapolis 500, the main event of an entire month built around The Greatest Spectacle in Racing.  Events like concerts, party tents, and other gatherings, including the famed “Snake Pit” – sometimes known as The Greatest Spectacle in Partying – are the main attractions for some visitors.  But unfortunately for many, the revelry ends with four less exciting…

One of the most common phone calls we get in our criminal defense office is from random defendants asking questions about an open warrant for their arrest. Obviously, and understandably, they are scared and want to know all the options. Typically what they think they know and what they learn after talking to us couldn’t be farther apart. Thus, having received hundreds, if not thousands, of calls from defendants on their outstanding criminal warrants, we’ve…

You have seen it a number of times on TV, or if you’re real unlucky, maybe you have even seen it in person.  They are the Standardized Field Sobriety Tests.  They consist of the “eye test,” the walk and turn and the one leg stand.  The “eye test” is actually the Horizontal Gaze Nystagmus (HGN) test. Sounds like a funny name for a test that just sees if you can follow the tip of a…

Arrested at Little Five in Bloomington? Now What? Though many parents would like to deny it, almost every single college kid is either drinking underage at some point, or partaking in some type of lawless behavior — just usually in the privacy of their own apartments, dorms, or friends’ houses. Yet, without fail, that delinquent behavior seems to leak its way into the public streets whenever a large college event is occurring. Be it an…