It was a normal day for you then, it happened. You went into a store for some supplies and left in the custody of Alabama police. You've been charged with shoplifting. What does this mean for your future?
The law defines shoplifting as the theft of store merchandise. A store employee or a police officer must accuse you of taking, or trying to take, property from a store without permission or without paying for it in order to garner a shoplifting charge.
When driving down the road and you see blue lights behind you, you may immediately feel a sense of panic. Even if you do not believe that you have done anything wrong, you can still feel nervous about an encounter with police. This feeling affects many people, and in some cases, your anxiety may cause an officer to become more suspicious that you may have committed a violation.
If an officer begins to question you or even accuses you of a crime, your sense of panic may increase. However, trying to remain as calm as possible may work in your favor. You could also do well to remember that you have rights and that an officer must inform you of those rights as part of a Miranda Warning.
It's Friday night and you have plans to meet a few friends at your favorite Alabama restaurant to kick-off the weekend with good food, conversation and, perhaps, a nice cold beverage or two. As you're driving home later, flashing red and blue lights in your rear view mirror beckon your immediate attention. You're getting pulled over by police.
It's then you recall that you had a beer on tap with your dinner and your blood pressure begins to rise as you safely come to a stop on the side of the road. Although you hope for the best, you've heard stories of people facing criminal charges after only imbibing a single drink or no alcohol at all! When the police officer asks you to step out of your vehicle and perform field sobriety tests, you know it's going to be a long night.
Your friends may have told you to shake it off since it's your first offense and no worse than a traffic ticket. You will likely get a slap on the wrist and a fine, and before you know it, you'll be ready for the next party. Isn't that what summer is for, especially after all those months of studying, classes and exams?
What your friends may not realize is that a DUI conviction can have consequences that may follow you for years into the future. A DUI may even affect the rest of your life, including your future at the University of Mobile or the University of South Alabama.
Flashing red lights in the rearview mirror are never a good sign. You may pull over, hoping the police car will race past you, but when it stops behind you, you may have many questions. What did I do wrong? How should I behave? Should I get out of the car? What is going to happen to me?
In Alabama, as in every state, police cannot pull you over without a reason. Perhaps your headlight is out or you ran a stop sign. In most cases, the incident ends with a ticket or a warning. However, if you aren't aware of your rights, you may find yourself in very hot water.
Being pulled over by police is one of the most nerve-racking events you may experience. However, worse than being stopped by Alabama authorities is being arrested on suspicion of drug possession. During your arrest, your natural inclination may be to try to fight back either physically or verbally, but that will likely make your situation even worse. A few tips may help you to avoid making mistakes that could end up hurting your case down the road.
Being pulled over by police is one of the most nerve-racking events you may experience. However, worse than being stopped by Alabama authorities is being arrested on suspicion of drug possession. During your arrest, your natural inclination may be to try to fight back either physically or verbally, but that will likely make your situation even worse. A few tips may help you to avoid making mistakes that could end up hurting your case down the road.
There are many things about so-called "street" drugs that may surprise you. For instance, did you know data suggests that more than 10 percent of people in Alabama and all other states over the age of 12 have tried illicit drugs in the past month?
It might also surprise you to learn the average amount of time you may spend in prison for conviction of drug possession in this country is more than two years.
Whether you have been charged with a misdemeanor or serious felony, hiring a criminal defense attorney can mean the difference between paying serious penalties and spending time behind bars, or regaining your life and freedom. But you don't just want any criminal defense attorney. Hiring one that will build the strongest defense for you is important.
When shopping for a criminal defense lawyer, here are three things you should look for:
Imagine the following nightmare. The police pull you over for a broken tail light or another reason. The officer finds a substance in your car that he or she is sure, because of a field test, is an illicit drug. The officer places you under arrest and takes you to jail.
The prosecutor offers you a plea deal that will allow you a minimum prison term to avoid a trial that could result in a much longer, harsher punishment. Even though you are entirely innocent, the prosecutor browbeats you into taking the deal. You wind up being labeled as a convicted felon with dire and long-lasting consequences, especially for your likelihood of gaining employment.
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These recoveries and testimonials are not an indication of future results. Every case is different, and regardless of what friends, family, or other individuals may say about what a case is worth, each case must be evaluated on its own facts and circumstances as they apply to the law. The valuation of a case depends on the facts, the injuries, the jurisdiction, the venue, the witnesses, the parties, and the testimony, among other factors. Furthermore, no representation is made that the quality of the legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.