Can the police listen to your phone calls?
Most people in the United States today rely on their cell phone to contact friends, family and business colleagues alike. However, if the police suspect you of a crime, they could use that same phone against you. Access to your cell phone could give law enforcement...
Helping you understand Missouri’s assault laws
If the authorities in Missouri arrest you or a family member on an assault charge, it serves your best interests to reach out to a lawyer right away. A conviction for engaging in violent crimes in our state comes with severe penalties that may impact your life going...
Defend yourself against vehicular assault charges
You were frustrated when you were trying to drive through a busy area downtown. You were probably traveling a little faster than you should have been, too. Despite that, you couldn’t have expected for a teen to run out into the road at 10:00 p.m. It was a school...
What do you need to know about money laundering charges?
While most people have heard of money laundering, most do not know what these charges entail or their potential consequences. While money laundering may seem like it will only involve large sums of money, the fact is that money laundering can involve even a single...
The Fourth Amendment and probable cause
The Fourth Amendment protects people from “unreasonable” searches and seizures. While this may seem straightforward on paper, the reality is anything but straightforward. The following should help to clarify the protections of the Fourth Amendment, the requirements of...
When the police are at your door in Missouri: Know your rights
What do you do when law enforcement officers come knocking at your door? Maybe they’re looking for a relative or friend of yours who’s suspected of robbing a convenience store. Maybe you’re having a party and one of the neighbors called about the noise. Either way,...
Controversial police property seizure practice still happening in Missouri
Nationwide, a controversial but common police practice has received increasing media attention. Called civil asset forfeiture, it refers to the police power to seize a suspect's private property if the police allege that it is involved in a crime. In many states,...
The difference between tax fraud and a mistake
People make mistakes on their taxes all the time. Most people have very limited education and experience regarding their own taxes, yet they are expected to do them on their own -- unless they want to pay someone to do it for them. This leads to many errors, some more...
What to do and what to avoid if you’re arrested
Being stopped by or pulled over by law enforcement is an anxious situation for anybody - and one that drastically raises our blood pressure. Even if you are sure that there is no reason an escalated incident could occur, like being charged and arrested, you never how...
The true meaning of ‘reasonable doubt’
The legal standard set out in Missouri's criminal codes states that everyone charged with a crime is innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. The same is true in federal court. But what exactly does this mean? The term "beyond a reasonable doubt" is...
