A grand jury is a crucial part of the criminal court process in Tennessee. It is a panel of 13 “average” citizens and their job is to probe the information available to determine if there is enough evidence to show that someone committed a crime. Those who plead...
Federal Criminal Charges
Medicare fraud case transferred to federal district court
In the legal sense, the term “fraud” connotes deceit and an underhanded act or scheme. When applied to specific areas of law, the elements change but reflect the general principle. In cases of Medicare fraud, a federal statute entitled the False Claims Act (FCA)...
Strong character reference letters can help your criminal case
Tennessee residents who are facing white-collar crime charges have plenty of concerns. Avoiding prison time is often a defendant’s biggest goal. If you are charged with a white-collar crime, there may be available defenses, depending on your situation. However,...
Can I bring marijuana on a plane?
At the beginning of October, President Biden pardoned thousands of people who were convicted of simple marijuana possession under federal law. He also announced the review of whether weed should remain a Schedule I substance, illegal under the Controlled Substances...
Those accused of fentanyl crimes can face serious consequences
Fentanyl has received much attention in the media lately, with numerous reports of unlawful sales of the drug and overdoses. Due to its dangerous nature, those who engage in the distribution of fentanyl will be harshly penalized. What is fentanyl? Fentanyl is an...
Can a victim decide to drop federal criminal charges?
When you face federal criminal charges, you know it is serious. The weight of the United States government is aimed directly at locking you up. As such, many people look for any way they can escape the clutches of the government. Sometimes, this leads the accused to...
Can law enforcement search your home for evidence of a crime?
If law enforcement officials in Tennessee suspect that you or your vehicle has been involved in a crime, they may request to search your vehicle for possible evidence of the alleged criminal activity. If the search is done lawfully, the evidence they find can be used...
Distributing marijuana can lead to serious federal consequences
Using marijuana may be relatively common for people in Tennessee, but it is still illegal for people to use it. As it is illegal for people to use it, in order to obtain marijuana people need to sell it illegally as well. There are also both federal and state laws...
Three reasons why you shouldn’t talk to the police
It’s normal to get nervous when approached by the police. But far too often our desire to explain a situation gets us into trouble. That’s why when law enforcement officers come knocking at your door, it’s probably in your best interest to avoid talking to them. Here...
Don’t let hearsay lead to your criminal conviction
There are a lot of rules that apply to the presentation of evidence during a criminal trial. While they may seem nuanced, knowing how to utilize them can be critically important to your case. After all, if you misapply the rules or fail to properly object to the...