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We often think of gratitude on Thanksgiving Day. It is a day to gather and offer thanks. It is not just a day. It is THE day for Americans. It’s a tradition that started before our nation’s founding and has been part of our culture for as long as anyone alive can remember. Parades, turkey,…

Elvis Presley is best known for his massive influence on rock and roll as we know it, appropriately nicknamed “The King” or “The King of Rock and Roll.” While his musical legacy has lived on for years and deserves to be recognized, many people are not nearly as aware of the legal legacy that has…

Attorney [nap_names id=”FIRM-NAME-3″] is representing Lisa Houston, the Upstate teacher who lost her job following the viral video of a mischaracterized classroom episode. The sensationalized case has made national headlines, casting both his client and the school district in an unfavorable light. The situation could have been defused and handled differently, Beasley says. See [nap_names…

To a brain surgeon or corporate executive, a speeding ticket is no big deal. They probably have that much cash in their purse or wallet. When a retail clerk or maid gets that traffic ticket, it hurts. It may mean the rent is late or they can’t buy food. It can have a domino effect.…

Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced a coordinated and unprecedented effort to combat the scourge of prescription opioid abuse in America. By cracking down on the supply side, federal law enforcement hopes to reduce overdose deaths and the crime and family strife associated with painkiller addiction. But any War on Drugs always catches innocent people in…

There is nothing wrong with federal agencies working with local law enforcement. Unless the feds are passing along unlawfully obtained information or concealing their secret surveillance. A recent court case has revealed a disturbing trend. Federal agents feed tips to state and local police who then make the bust. Those defendants and their lawyers typically…

Jail or loss of driving privileges may not even be the worst part of a DUI conviction. The long-term aftermath can be just as devastating. This is especially true for students and young adults. A DUI on a young person’s record can affect their college plans and future employment, as well as their finances and…

Criminal prosecutions can be brought in state or federal court. What is the difference between a state crime and a federal crime? What triggers federal charges? Is federal court any different than state court? Yes, there are important differences. Federal crimes are almost always felony charges, with potentially tougher punishments. Federal court operates under different…

Recently we wrote about racial bias in plea bargains. For the same crime with no prior convictions, researchers found that white defendants, on average, had better outcomes than their black counterparts. (You get probation, but you go to jail.) Along those lines, criminal justice gurus have tried to remove racial bias by taking humans out…