August 4, 2022
When you’re a professional, a charge of driving while intoxicated (DWI) by drugs or alcohol isn’t just a problem — it can also be the end of your career. While everyone’s circumstances can be unique, there are numerous unexpected consequences of a drunk driving conviction when you either have or hope to have a professional future. How...
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August 4, 2022
Commercial genetic tests that rely on deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) have become increasingly popular among consumers — so much so that they’re even given as holiday gifts. But DNA tests aren’t just being used to uncover consumers’ genetic ancestry: They’re also being used to close out unsolved murders using a combo of detective work and information that’s available...
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August 4, 2022
Those in Springfield who have been charged with criminal offenses are afforded the benefit of being considered innocent until proven guilty. Unfortunately, actually ensuring that this benefit is delivered upon may be an uphill battle. News regarding the circumstances surrounding an alleged offense can often serve to prejudice those who may ultimately be called upon...
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August 4, 2022
The internet can be a strange place. Both impossibly vast and able to help people connect like never before, it’s also a minefield for the unwary. Most people don’t realize just how easy it is to end up charged with a sex crime due to their internet activities — especially when they haven’t even had...
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August 4, 2022
The phrase “obstruction of justice” is bandied about in the news a lot these days, so we thought it might be informative to discuss exactly what this phrase means — and why it is considered a crime. Obstruction of justice is, essentially, an offense against the entire judicial process. It’s loosely defined as any action...
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August 4, 2022
Could the federal authorities be listening in on your private conversations? While most people tend to think of wiretapping as one of the “big guns” that investigators only pull out when they’re looking to take down an international crime figure or a major weapons dealer, the reality is that wiretapping is actually an increasingly common method...
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August 4, 2022
When someone in Missouri is convicted of a crime, they might face imprisonment or steep fines depending on the offense. But judges have alternatives to sending someone to jail. And this year marks the 35th anniversary of one state program that focuses on rehabilitation over incarceration. Court dockets in Springfield were overflowing with traffic, misdemeanor and...
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August 4, 2022
Police officers have several ways to determine if a driver is impaired during a traffic stop. One of these is the use of sobriety tests. While there are many performed across the country, there are only three specific tests that comprise the standardized field sobriety test. This battery of tests is endorsed by the National Highway...
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August 4, 2022
In 1994, a federal law was passed that mandated the enactment of a sex offender registry program. Since then, numerous other laws have been passed at both the federal and state levels that have added onto this original ruling. In Missouri, some updates have taken place as recently as the summer of 2018. According to...
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August 4, 2022
Most in Springfield likely never picture themselves being involved in a confrontation (let alone being placed in a position where they had to resort to force to defend themselves. Yet such altercations do indeed happen, as evidenced by the fact that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that there are roughly 2 million incidents of...
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