Arrests made in case of missing St. James teen
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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Internet sex crimes: How easy it is to get into trouble
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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What is the obstruction of justice?
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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Could your phone be tapped?
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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Should convicts serve the community instead of serving time?
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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3 standardized field sobriety tests you may face
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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