Considerations in a Motion to Suppress Hearing

Frequently, when an individual is charged with a crime, he or she files a Motion to Suppress and asks for a suppression hearing. The purpose is to ask the court to rule that particular evidence cannot be used in determining an individual’s guilt or innocence. When evidence is suppressed, the prosecutor may not use the…

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Reasons for Deportation Explained

Deportation means being returned or sent back from the U.S. to your home country. American citizens cannot be deported; however, if a person born in a foreign country fraudulently obtained his or her citizenship, he or she can be deported. Undocumented immigrants (those who entered the U.S. illegally) are subject to being deported at any…

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What is a Sanctuary City?

A “sanctuary city” is not a precise legal term. A city’s residents typically do not vote to designate their city a “sanctuary city,” but its leader can. A city, town or county (or, in the case of California, a state) is designated as a “sanctuary” because it directs (or asks) local law enforcement not to…

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Online Identity Thieves Target Teens and Young Adults

Identity theft is happening far too often. Criminals have taken aim at the vulnerable and inexperienced.  In 2014, 1.3 million identity theft cases involved people under the age of 16, but there are protective steps youth and parents can take to avoid or minimize on-line harm. If you or your child is the victim of…

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Crimes Leading to Deportation: A Complex Equation

For non-citizen residents of the United States, committing a crime often results in serious financial, legal, and immigration-status consequences. The nature and circumstances of the specific crime, however, impacts the outcome and, perhaps more crucially, determines whether it results in deportation. There are three main categories of deportable offenses: those related to immigration and security…

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Tennessee is Cracking Down on Meth Distribution and Sales

It is no secret that our country is in the grip of an opioid epidemic. Stories about opioid-related overdoses are all over the news. In Tennessee, however, we are facing another battle – one against the use, manufacturing, distribution, and sale of methamphetamines. WKRN discussed this in a recent article, calling it the “madness of…

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Witnesses

In the United States, we honor the rule of law.   The U.S. prides itself on its system of justice where laws apply to all and where a powerful elite’s whims do not control the outcome of controversies or disputes.  The law holds citizens accountable and defines their rights and responsibilities.  Controversies and disputes, however, invariably…

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Everyone Has the Right to a Competent Defense

Many people do not understand what “criminal defense” means or involves. They see lawyers portrayed in movies or TV and believe that every trial is “all or nothing:” the accused is either guilty or innocent of the charges. However, in this area of law, the outcome often depends upon what facts can be shown, and…

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Immigration Plans and Bans Continue to Change: Know Your Rights

The last few months have been turbulent. Many immigrants have expressed fear, sadness and anger over the proposed immigration plans coming out of the White House, and over the executive orders and travel bans. Now, more than ever, it is important to know your rights You have the right to remain silent. You do not…

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Assault Conviction May Get You Deported

There are two main categories of assault charges in Tennessee: simple assault and aggravated assault. A person who is convicted of either charge may be subject to time in jail or prison, as well as hundreds or thousands of dollars in fines, depending on the specific charges. For example, you could be charged with: Aggravated…

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