Monroe Criminal Defense Blog

To stop a motor vehicle, officers usually must at least have reasonable suspicion the driver is violating some law. That is not the case with sobriety checkpoints, however. Provided officers stop all or a random sample of vehicles, DWI checkpoints are usually legal in...

If someone is facing a drug-related charge, one of the first steps after the arrest is the initial hearing, also known as the arraignment. Facing a court hearing can be intimidating, although this initial one is brief. This hearing includes some basics such as charges...

The idea of an assault charge likely makes you think about physical injury. For many people, the definition of assault means you make physical contact with someone else at a minimum. You may wonder if assault must always include physical contact and harm. However,...

Many young people attending college for the first time wind up experimenting. However, if your son or daughter experiments with illegal substances and authorities catch him or her doing so, it may mean the end of financial aid. Per Federal Student Aid, a drug...

In North Carolina, burglary is a subcategory to the crime of breaking and entering. The law defines both crimes as unlawfully entering a building, however, burglary is breaking and entering a dwelling place (as the law defines) while the latter applies to any other...

When someone is taken into custody for driving under the influence, they face many obstacles. Aside from a flood of negative emotions, many drivers run the risk of losing their job, sustaining permanent damage to their reputation and losing the ability to drive. Stiff...

For most motorists in the Tar Heel State, it is illegal to operate a motor vehicle with a blood alcohol concentration of 0.08% or higher. If an officer suspects you are driving while impaired, he or she may ask you to breathe into a testing device.  Alcohol breath...

It may be easy for many people in Monroe to automatically dismiss the notion of there being any "grey area" in the knowledge and interpretation of the law. This no doubt comes from a line of thinking that all statutes rely on well-known logic and should be easily...

Federal law and most states adjudicate offenses by type and class. In North Carolina, for example, the State may charge you with a “Class H” felony, or a “Class 3” misdemeanor. These often come with recommended and maximum sentences. Federal criminal code uses an...

Many parents become aware of the influence of drugs on their teens’ lives when they become wrapped up with the law. Many kids who face drug charges also have a substance abuse problem. The National Institute on Drug abuse has information to help parents with teens who...