Wilmington Criminal Defense Law Blog

Keyboard cleaner may cause problems for your teenager

On behalf of Woody White Law PLLC on Friday, November 29, 2019.

Raising teenagers in North Carolina or anywhere else can be challenging. As kids age, they go through a variety of metabolic and hormonal changes that tend to affect personality. Even worse, your son or daughter may decide to experiment with illicit drugs.

A drug does not have to be on the government’s list of controlled substances to be dangerous. On the contrary, if your child misuses some everyday products, he or she may encounter a variety of health and legal consequences. Keyboard cleaner is one such product.

Can a drug possession charge save your child’s life?

On behalf of Woody White Law PLLC on Friday, September 6, 2019.

Opioid overdoses are becoming far too familiar, and North Carolina is not immune. Parents face impossible odds, and getting their kids help seems more and more difficult. The epidemic is all too sobering, especially for parents of college students.

Receiving a call from your child that he or she is under arrest is likely to make your stomach knot up. While no parent wants to see a child locked up, there is a possible upside. Getting your kid drug treatment now after a scary experience may save his or her life. Discover how a drug possession charge may work in helping your child get clean.

What happens if you get a DWI while visiting from out of state?

On behalf of Woody White Law PLLC on Wednesday, June 5, 2019.

If you receive a DWI charge in North Carolina and you live elsewhere, it is easy to feel uncertainty over what happens next. You may wonder how it will affect your driving record in your home state or what kind of penalty you might end up facing.

Because each state has its own laws regarding drivers under the influence, it is important to understand how this process works. Here is what you should expect for your out-of-state DWI in North Carolina.

What is reckless driving?

On behalf of Woody White Law PLLC on Wednesday, March 6, 2019.

Most traffic offenses people commit are straightforward, minor and common, such as going 5-10 mph over the speed limit, driving with a burnt-out taillight or parking in the wrong spot. More hazardous violations, such as running a stop sign, qualify as careless driving. This refers to behavior that is irresponsible but not purposely showing a complete lack of concern for the safety of others.

Reckless driving, on the other hand, is the intentional and malicious failure to care about the rights and well-being of others on the road. It entails not showing caution and putting the lives of others in danger. Unfortunately, even if your intentions did not meet that description, your actions and their consequences can still justify the charges.

Results are in for the 2019 North Carolina Super Lawyers ® list

On behalf of Woody White Law PLLC posted in blog on Wednesday, January 30, 2019.

We are pleased to announce that Woody White, at Woody White Law PLLC, has been selected to the 2019 North Carolina Super Lawyers ® list. This is an exclusive list, recognizing no more than five percent of attorneys in North Carolina.

Three types of military court-martial

On behalf of Woody White Law PLLC on Tuesday, December 4, 2018.

Members of the military are well aware they must obey military law and procedure. Training emphasizes zero tolerance for infractions. Consequences could result in mild to severe punishment, such as pay forfeiture, extra duty, brief correctional confinement, significant fines, reduction in rank, confinement ranging from a few months to years, a dishonorable discharge or a bad conduct discharge.

Military personnel is aware of sanctions and, in general, avoid them. There are times, however, when enlisted men or women violate the Uniform Code of Military Justice, and they can face a court-martial. Whether the person breaks the law deliberately or accidentally, military consequences occur. The severity of the infraction determines one of three possible levels of a court-martial.

What you need to know about tax evasion

On behalf of Woody White Law PLLC on Sunday, September 9, 2018.

If you are like most North Carolinians, you have a deep respect for, if not an actual fear of, the Internal Revenue Service and the extraordinary powers it possesses. You therefore likely do your very best to make sure you correctly compute your taxes and file your income tax return on time each year, along with paying any taxes you owe.

Nevertheless, you sometimes worry that you inadvertently made a mistake. Will the IRS come after you? Will it charge you with tax evasion? In all likelihood, the answer is a resounding “no.” The IRS undoubtedly will question you about any mistakes it finds on your tax return or in the amount of taxes you paid as a result thereof. It will not, however, charge you with tax evasion unless IRS agents believe that you deliberately sought to understate your income and/or sought to overstate your deductions.

Can a drug conviction disqualify your child for financial aid?

On behalf of Woody White Law PLLC on Friday, June 8, 2018.

If you are the parent of a North Carolina college student who is heading off to school in the fall, you are probably doing your best to steer your child in the right direction. Making sure your child makes sound decisions in your absence can dramatically improve your peace of mind once he or she leaves the nest. Additionally, it can also improve the chances that he or she will avoid getting into any trouble that could potentially impact financial aid.

If your child receives a conviction for a drug-related criminal charge, for example, this can potentially hinder his or her ability to continue to receive federal financial aid. Virtually any type of state or federal drug conviction can cause your child to lose financial aid, potentially leaving you on the hook to make up the difference.

Oversharing can lead to criminal charges

On behalf of Woody White Law PLLC posted in blog on Sunday, March 11, 2018.

For many people in the Wilmington area, posting all their thoughts and actions on social media is the norm. You may enjoy sharing your thoughts and activities on Facebook, Snapchat, Twitter, Instagram and other popular social media outlets for support, to make new friends and interact with individuals all over the world. But you should keep in mind that what you post online can become evidence if you commit a crime.

There are different types of social media crimes that you may unknowingly commit while on the internet, such as stalking, cyberbullying, fraudulent transactions and hacking. Here is a brief overview of how social media can impact your situation.

What you should know if you are facing drug trafficking charges

On behalf of Woody White Law PLLC posted in blog on Wednesday, January 31, 2018.

You may feel that selling opioids and other synthetic drugs in Wilmington is a good gig for you to have. However, if you have not yet learned how unlawful the activity is, you may not realize how much you stand to lose. The law takes a strict stance against alleged drug dealers and individuals who sell and distribute them. Not only do you risk incarceration, but you may also end up having to live with the knowledge that your actions contributed to someone’s death.

You may be under the impression that your charges will not stick because you are not dealing enough for the law to consider you a high-volume dealer. It does not matter how much you intended to sell or how much law enforcement accused you of selling or distributing. The penalties are harsh and lawmakers are working to revamp the laws to penalize small-time drug traffickers, sellers and distributors more.