Month: January 2017
Did Our Sixth Amendment Obligations Just Get Simpler?
A woman called the other day concerned about her boyfriend, who is living in the United States without citizenship. She wanted to know the immigration consequences of a conviction in light of President Trump’s 25 January 2017 Executive Order on immigration policy within the United States.
Surviving Serious Criminal Charges in North Carolina
Facing a serious criminal charge is a life-changing experience. This report provides an overview of the process, practical advice for choosing counsel, and guidance for what to expect during the defense.
Just Get My Guns Back
Let’s talk about potential criminal consequences in federal court from a common fact situation in state court.
Our client is charged with assault, communicating threats, and injury to personal property after a confrontation with her husband. Her husband prepared a civil petition for a Domestic Violence Protective Order pursuant to N.C.G.S.
Merry Christmas From The Court
The North Carolina Supreme Court issued over a dozen opinions in criminal cases on 21 December 2016. After my initial scan, things looked bleak for our side of the courtroom. To distract myself from the reality, I decided to consider what impact our newest Supreme Court Justice,
It’s 2017. So What?
The tax year ended. We closed the books and started fresh. We woke to a new governor in North Carolina, who took the oath a second after Midnight on New Year’s Day. In the coming days and weeks, new public officials will take office,
Dancing Through Briers: The College Experience and University Discipline
We have all reminisced during college reunions about the crazy nights we did crazy things. Surviving the chaos of college, graduating, and embarking on a successful career validate “youthful indiscretions” in some minds. No harm, no foul!
Maybe that works for the greatest or greying generations,
What process is Due?
One of my client’s asked recently, “does the Constitution apply to college students?” The U.S. Constitution protects college students in the same way it protects anyone else in relation to government and police actions. On campus, however, the level of protection depends on whether we are talking about the right to assemble and speak,
Working Within (or Against) The New Campus Order
For more than twenty years, I have been a criminal defense lawyer for people whose lives, livelihoods, and freedom is on the line. Increasingly, I represent students charged with sexual misconduct in campus proceedings where their privileges to pursue an education are at risk.