North Carolina residents who are stopped by the police may be a bit wary of speaking to them. Regardless of whether or not they have information regarding a crime, they don't want to incriminate themselves. The reality is that knowing your rights can allow you to...
Criminal Defense
The accuracy of police lineups
Law enforcement officers in North Carolina have used police lineups for decades to narrow their search for criminal suspects. However, this practice has faced heavy scrutiny in recent times from officials concerned with both the accuracy and procedure regarding police...
Reports dispute accuracy of fingerprint analysis
Some people might assume that if law enforcement says that a person's fingerprints are found at a North Carolina crime scene, the person was probably there. However, according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science, fingerprint analysis, which has...
What should you do if you’re accused of car insurance fraud?
Every year, hundreds of people in North Carolina attempt to commit car insurance fraud. Sometimes, it's a deliberate attempt to scam their insurance company. Other times, it's a simple mistake that leads to charges of fraud. Whatever the case, it's important to find...
Does a conviction require a unanimous jury vote?
One of the constitutional rights of individuals in North Carolina and the rest of the United States is the right to a trial by jury. This is an important right because an individual is considered innocent until he or she is proven guilty by a court of law. The Supreme...
Supreme Court to hear Fourth Amendment case
North Carolina residents are protected against unreasonable government search and seizure by the Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, and the scope of this protection has been clarified from time to time by decisions handed down by the U.S. Supreme Court. The...
Oversharing can lead to criminal charges
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...
4 mistakes to avoid if you are a tourist accused of a crime
People from across the country come to North Carolina, whether they are college students, corporate executives or families on vacation. Unfortunately, some of these people wind up accused of committing a crime. If you are in this situation, you might be tempted to...
5 college crimes (and how they can derail your child’s life)
Think back to when you were a teenager. You might shudder to think about what you wore, how you talked and what kinds of things you liked to do with your friends. Now imagine being judged by those same decisions well into adulthood. Under most circumstances, it...