A white-collar crime is a nonviolent crime often committed by government officials and corporations for financial gain. Commonly characterized by concealment, deceit, and trust violation, the motive behind this crime is to secure a personal or business advantage and...
Criminal Law
Your rights during a police investigatory stop
For most drivers, the sight of a police car's flashing lights in the rearview mirror is an unsettling experience. While not uncommon, you may not know what to expect when this happens. Police offers are trained to perform specific duties during an investigatory stop...
Can an armed criminal action conviction be added to a felony conviction?
Committing Class A through E felonies comes with sentencing guidelines when an offender is convicted. However, the addition of an armed criminal action conviction adds consecutive punishments to any felony conviction punishments. For example, if a first-time offender...
Criminal charges and a police encounter: What you should know
Breaking the law may result in severe punishments if found guilty of criminal charges, including violent crimes, white-collar crimes, and drug crimes. Penalties may include a permanent criminal record, illegibility to receive government assistance, inability to attain...
When can the police search my car?
Getting pulled over can be an intimidating feeling. You may spend the moments between when you stop your vehicle and when the officer reaches your window wondering why the officer pulled you over and what you can do about it. Your mind may also go to things in your...
What an attorney can do for you during police interrogations
Just about everyone knows that they have the right to have an attorney present to advocate for them during a criminal trial. Fewer people know that your right to an attorney extends to every significant step in the criminal justice process – including during police...
3 common types of crimes in St. Louis
If you are in trouble with the law and have been charged with a crime, the prosecution has to prove that you actually committed said crime. The state court will render you guilty and pass judgment only when the prosecutor has provided proof of the allegations...
White-collar crime in Missouri
White-collar crime is a hot-button topic in Missouri. The category encompasses a broad range of actions, including the obvious: Securities fraud Embezzlement Money laundering Corporate fraud But the list goes well into a variety of other offenses: Antitrust violations...
What happens after being charged with a felony in St. Louis, MO
In every state justice system, several procedures are followed after a suspect is arrested, interrogated, and then finally charged with a crime. The process begins after a claimant files a formal written complaint. The prosecuting attorney then obtains an arrest...
How the defendant’s intentions matter in criminal law
When the authorities are investigating someone they accuse of a serious crime, physical evidence like DNA, fingerprints and video recordings are essential pieces of evidence. But for many crimes, especially violent crimes like homicide and assault, what was going on...