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Criminal Attorney – Common Reasons You’ll Find Yourself in Need of One

What may begin as an innocent lunch date with a friend could end in murder. On the other hand, maybe you were involved in an argument that suddenly escalated to assault. Furthermore, sometimes people get in trouble by doing things at their job that they know is illegal. In the end, you’ll need to find and hire a criminal attorney quickly. This is the only way to rest assured that you will have a pro working hard to get you out of trouble. Examine some of the most common reasons you’ll need the help of a skilled lawyer today.

Many times, people get in trouble simply by trying to outwit their co-workers, the company system, the IRS, or something else. Usually these offenses aren’t physically violent, but cause terrible damage all the same. For instance, if you are some type of financial planner that cheats people out of their retirement, this is a serious offense, known as a white-collar crime. In addition, there are other offenses such as failing to pay your taxes, forging documents, filing false insurance claims and much more. Hiring a seasoned criminal attorney is your only hope in your quest to clear your name.

In addition, some people let their emotions get the best of them and what starts as simple disagreement, quickly escalates to a full-on fight. Once it’s over and all the dust has cleared, you may find yourself charged with assault. Even if you were trying to defend yourself, that may not come out until a trial. In any case, you need a criminal attorney asap.

Furthermore, hanging out and having a drink with friends is usually no big deal. However, the problem arises when you try to get behind the wheel when you’re in no condition to drive. Yet, if you don’t have anyone to take your keys, you could get behind the wheel, crash your car, or worse, kill someone. In the end, if you make it out with your life, you’ll be charged with driving while under the influence and will need proper legal representation to help manage your case.

Everyone knows not to take things that don’t belong to him or her. However, if you think you can do it and get away with it, you’ll eventually find yourself in a world of trouble. Being charged with theft is a big deal. This isn’t the same as a misdemeanor crime, such as stealing a bar of chocolate. Instead, you may have broken into someone’s home, robbed a jewelry store, or something of that nature. There’s no way you could clear your name on your own, so hiring a criminal attorney is a necessity.

No matter what the situation is, if you are charged with any type of offense, getting the right legal help is a must if you plan to get your life back.…

Some Vital Questions To Ask While Hiring A Criminal Attorney

Criminal attorneys are the best people to help you out if you are charged with criminal offenses. Although, you will find a lot of criminal lawyers when you search for them, it does not necessarily mean that all are equally good at their work. US residents living in a number of cities like Kent (WA) and Tacoma (WA), who have had to deal with such attorneys in the past generally advice to get to know the work history of criminal attorneys before selecting one for your case.

Before you go ahead to hire a criminal lawyer, it is important to know the type of questions to ask them. Some of these questions are:

1. Experience in the criminal law: Start off by asking questions pertaining to his experience in this specific line of law. Ask him about the total number of years he has been practicing, where he got his degree in law, success rate, experience in dealing with similar cases like yours and such relevant questions. This is an important part of the entire hiring process which most US citizens residing in cities like Tacoma (WA) and Parkland (WA) would agree to

2. Assess your case: At the first consultation describe your case to the lawyer. Keep asking him questions to understand their grasp in such cases similar to yours like whether he is familiar to cases like yours, success rate of the lawyer in handling similar cases, potential results of the case, strengths and weaknesses of your case and similar questions.

3. Expenses and fees involved: It is good to know that hiring criminal attorneys can be a costly affair. It is always recommended to know beforehand the charges and fees involved before you finalize upon a lawyer to take up your case. It is good to ask him questions like the type of fee arrangements that he may offer, services included in the attorney fees and similar questions.…

How to Beat a DUI Charge

If you find yourself arrested and charged with a DUI, you may wonder if there is anyway to get out of it. It can happen, but there are a few things you should know. Driving under the influence can carry some rather significant penalties, including jail time, steep fines, and losing your driving privileges. If you’re trying to avoid these penalties, then keep reading.

Discredit the Evidence

This is the fastest way to get a case thrown out of court. Police officers do make mistakes and a good attorney can capitalize on these mistakes. It may be something as minor as not waiting long enough before giving you a breath test or you having something in your mouth during the test. It could also be something as major as a police office that didn’t have probable cause to stop you. Discrediting the evidence against you in a DUI case is the fastest way to get your case dismissed.

Get a Good Attorney

Now is not the time to try to defend yourself in court. Shell out the cash for a great attorney. Don’t skimp by hiring a cheap one that just got out of law school. An experienced DUI attorney will know how to discredit the evidence, look for flaws in the prosecutor’s case against you, and will be familiar with the local courts, staff, and judges. They also will know how to help you keep your driver’s license. There’s only a short amount of time in which to file the paperwork with the state’s license bureau and if you miss this filing date, you’re not going to be driving for awhile.

Don’t Miss Court

If you miss a court date, you’re going to be in a lot of trouble. Not only will the original case still be there, you’re going to face additional fines and penalties for failing to appear. If you’re trying to beat a DUI, missing court is one of the fastest to ways to ensure it never happens.

Dress Appropriately

While you may feel like your appearance shouldn’t matter much, but it does. Showing up in your favorite pair of cutoff shorts and an old t-shirt can be taken a sign of disrespect. In fact, some courtrooms are very strict on what is allowed in the courtroom. If you have questions about what you should wear, then ask your attorney.

In Closing

The above information can help you beat a DUI, but it’s not a guarantee. Unfortunately, everything is in the hands of the judge. The best advice is to get a great attorney and let them work their magic.…

Terrorism Law Held Constitutional

Founded in 1974, the Partiya Karkeran Kurdistan (PKK) was established as a Marxist-Leninist insurgent group composed of Turkish Kurds who formed to seek Kurdish independence from Turkey. By the late 1990s the group had had morphed from a rural-based insurgent group into a full-fledged terrorist organization, sometimes using suicide bombings on civilian targets.

Founded in 1976, the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) became one of the most lethal and well organized terrorist groups in the world that, beginning in 1983, waged an armed campaign in Sri Lanka to establish a separate Tamil homeland before the group was defeated by the Sri Lanka army in May 2009. The LTTE pioneered the use of suicide belts.

Both groups are designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations by the U.S Department of State.

The evidence is clear that the PKK and LTTE have engaged in terrorist activities, including suicide bombings, which have harmed innocent civilians. It was these kinds of international terrorist acts and the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that prompted the U.S. Congress to enact the Anti-Terrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act (AEDPA) which was signed into law by former President Bill Clinton in April 1996.

One of the controversial components of AEDPA was codified at 18 U.S.C. 2339B which makes it a federal crime to provide “material support or resources to designated foreign terrorist organizations.” While Congress has amended the definition of “material support or resources” a number of times since 1996, Subsection 2339A (b) (1) offers the current definition:

“[T]he term ‘material support or resources’ means any property, tangible or intangible, or service, including currency or monetary instruments or financial securities, financial services, lodging, training, expert advice or assistance, safe houses, false documentation or identification, communications equipment, facilities, weapons, lethal substances, explosives, personnel (1 or more individuals who may be or include oneself), and transportation, except medicine or religious materials.”

Another component of AEDPA, the authority to designate an entity as a “foreign terrorist organization,” was codified at 8 U.S.C. 1189(a) (1), (d) (4). This authority rests with the Secretary of State who, after consultation with the Secretary of Treasury and Attorney General, must determine whether the organization is foreign, engages in “terrorist activity” or “terrorism,” and “threatens the security of United States nationals or the national security of the United States.”

In 1997 former Secretary of State Madeleine K. Albright designated 30 groups as foreign terrorist organizations. Two of the groups on that list were PKK and LTTE.

The Humanitarian Law Project, which was founded in 1985 and is “dedicated to protecting human rights and promoting the peaceful resolution of conflict by using established international human rights law and humanitarian law,” filed a lawsuit in 1998 challenging the “material support or resources” provisions of A� 2339B. The lawsuit’s long convoluted history found its way to the U.S. Supreme Court and, on June 21, 2010, that court in Holder v. Humanitarian Law Project upheld the constitutionality of the terrorism statute.

The Humanitarian Law Project (HLP) filed its lawsuit because, according to the group, A� 2339B prevented it from providing support for the humanitarian and political activities of PKK. This included: (1) “training members of PKK on how to use humanitarian and international law to peacefully resolve disputes”; (2) “engage in political advocacy on behalf of Kurds who live in Turkey”; and (3) “teach PKK members how to petition various representative bodies such as the United Nations for relief.” HLP also charged that A� 2339B prevented it from providing monetary contributions, legal training, and political advocacy for the LTTE. This included: (1) “train members of LTTE to present claims for tsunami-related aid to mediators and international bodies”; (2) “offer their legal expertise in negotiating peace agreements between LTTE and the Sri Lankan government;” and (3) “engage in political advocacy on behalf of Tamils who live in Sri Lanka.”

The HLP based its lawsuit on three constitutional challenges to 2339B: 1) it violated their First Amendment freedom of speech; and 2) it violated their First Amendment freedom of association. These two challenges were premised on the theory that 2339B criminalized their support to PKK and LTTE without the Government having to prove that HLP had a specific intent to further the unlawful ends of those groups. Finally, HLP challenged 2339B as being unconstitutionally vague.

A central issue in the case initially focused on exactly what constituted “personnel” and training.” While the lawsuit was pending, and in the wake of the 9/11 terror attacks on the Twin Towers in New York, Congress enacted the Uniting and Strengthening America by Providing Appropriate Tools Required to Intercept and Obstruct Terrorism Act of 2001 (Patriot Act) which amended the “material support or resources” provision of 2339B to include the term “expert advice or assistance.” The HLP filed a second lawsuit, which was ultimately …

Good To Know About The Different Types Of Lawyers

Taking the help of reputed lawyers to deal with lawsuits is a common experience which most US citizens residing in major cities like Kent (WA) and Edgewood (WA) have faced. In such cases it is important to understand the different legal processes, legal jurisdiction, and types of lawyers which in turn would help you get the best legal help available.

Legal cases can at times be serious, so it is very important to get the right lawyer who can help you immensely and is also the key to obtain wonderful results from lawsuits. Lawyers are of different types, some who are general practitioners dealing in non-specialized and routine cases, whereas, others may be specialists in a definite line of law. Usually the latter have a thorough knowledge of the finer details of the law that they deal in. The fees for these specialists are usually higher than the general attorneys; however, their expertise most often helps to enhance their effectiveness and efficiency.

Here is a list of some of the major types of lawyers and the type of law they deal in:

1.Accident and personal injury lawyers: These lawyers, also known as personal injury attorneys are the best people to help you in getting financial compensations and also relieve you from any legal complications pertaining to personal injury charges. Claims often relate to motor accidents, work related injuries, violations of rights, and medical errors. Sometimes personal injury charges may also be due to damage to the reputation of a person.

2.Criminal defense: These attorneys represent their clients who are charged with such charges in a criminal court of law. Generally these criminal defense lawyers try to prove that their clients are not guilty, whereas on the other hand, the prosecutor tries to prove otherwise. US citizens residing in most major cities like Tacoma (WA) and Kent (WA), who have been through such similar charges, would say that in criminal cases it is always a good idea to hire an experienced criminal defense attorney.

If you are looking for good lawyers – Kent (WA) and Newcastle (WA) are some of the cities in US where residents can hire the services of experienced lawyers from The Terry Law Firm. They offer knowledge and experience to their clients which help to resolve the latter’s cases with the best possible result. In case you need further information about the firm then visit .…

How to Find the Best Criminal Attorneys and Lawyers

Before going into the question of how to identify the best criminal attorney or criminal lawyer, we need to understand what criminal acts are. Criminal acts can range from petty offenses like theft, DWI and assault to grave felonies like fraud, white collar crime, drug offenses, sex offenses, and felony DWI. The punishment for crimes also varies from imposition of fines to short-term simple imprisonment to extended rigorous imprisonment – and in some countries like the U.S. even capital punishment.

In criminal law, the case is initiated by the state or federal government through a prosecutor rather than by the victim, as is the practice under civil law. The prosecutor in a criminal law has the onus to prove to the judge or jury “beyond a reasonable doubt” that the accused is guilty of the crime he is charged with.

Criminal Law Attorneys are persons with legal qualifications who represent clients who are being prosecuted by the state or federal government for an act of crime. It is the general practice in law to assume any accused as innocent unless proved guilty.

It is in the interest of the accused that he/she engages a criminal law attorney as soon as possible. Any attempts to delay the process of hiring a defense attorney and a wait-and-see approach can quite often prove detrimental to the accused. More importantly, never seek guidance about your rights and legal status from police officers and prosecutors who will naturally not act in a suspect’s best interest.

If you have been charged with a crime, it is important that you find the right kind of defense attorney to represent you – without wasting time. Please remember that the criminal law attorney has to be different from the type of attorneys who handle matters like divorce, writing a pre-nuptial agreement, or a bill.

Finding an experienced and competent criminal lawyer to represent you is crucial if you want the charges dropped and your innocence established in a law court. Finding a good criminal lawyer is daunting and this task becomes ever more stressful when one is already under pressure as an accused in a criminal case.

The criminal lawyer you hire has to be experienced, fully conversant with the criminal law, familiar with similar case-studies, possesses argumentative skills and knows the ropes in the courthouse.

Even before hiring a criminal lawyer, you can spend some time with the lawyer, to ascertain how competent and compatible he will be. One must also be totally candid with the criminal lawyer one hires. Ask if the criminal lawyer has handled similar cases in the past and how many times he was able to obtain acquittal for clients with these kinds of charges.

The right lawyer for you will depend on your situation, the crime you have been charged with, your affordability, your personal history and prior criminal record. A competent attorney devotes time pondering over your case and also knows how to take care of witnesses who might try to change their versions during the course of the proceedings of the case. Finding the right criminal attorney could make the critical difference between you being acquitted or languishing in jail.

In today’s age and time, it is wise to engage criminal lawyers who are computer-literate and can do videoconferencing, electronic filing, and voice-recognition technology to solve cases, share information and handle things using more sophisticated methods.…

Tips on What to Do When Pulled Over for DWI

Out of all the errors a person can make behind the wheel of a motor vehicle, driving while intoxicated often is one of the worst lapses in judgment. It can be a costly and humiliating experience, one that often is made worse because drivers don’t know their rights when they have been stopped for an officer for DWI.

Typically, a DWI stop starts with the officer asking you for your license and registration; that much you have to provide. But when he starts asking you questions, you’re under no obligation to answer – if you choose not to speak at all because you’re afraid it might often some indication that you’ve drunk, then it’s your right not to say a word.

Often, if an officer thinks you’ve been drinking, he may ask you to perform field sobriety tests. Again, in most states you have the right to refuse such tests, which often are subjective, offering an officer the opportunity to make a judgment call that you’ve been drinking. Again, don’t do anything that offers any potentially self-incriminating evidence.

At some point, the officer is going to want you to take a Breathalyzer or blood test, and you’re darned if you do, darned if you don’t in this regard. All US States have implied consents laws, which basically state that if you have a driver’s license, you must comply with a request for such tests if an officer deems one necessary. And if you don;t take the test when asked, you still face the possibility of a fine, suspended license, even jail time. In some instances, you’re may be a little better off declining the test, but most of the time, agree to have it done.

So take the test, and one of tow things will happen: Either you’ll be found to not be drunk, or you will be found to be intoxicated and arrested for DWI. Even that, though, doesn’t necessarily mean a conviction – the equipment used to check your level of intoxication varies in its accuracy, and can often be challenged in court. Or perhaps the officer made a procedural error, which could lead to your case being throw out.

How will you know if such errors have been made? Most of the time you won’t, and in the case of a DWI, the old adage “Only a fool acts as his own attorney” has never been truer. if you face a court date for DWI, don’t waste time trying to represent yourself – go find yourself a criminal defense attorney. Don’t take the first one you see in the Yellow Pages; look around a bit, ask others who they can recommend. There are huge differences in the competence of attorneys, and you’ll want the best one you can afford representing you in a court of law.

And one last point: If you’ve been stopped for DWI, hopefully you’ve learned something, whether you’re convicted or not, something that should have been obvious – drinking and driving don’t mix.…