White collar crimes sound like something that only ultra-wealthy people commit. Fraud, embezzlement, and extortion all seem like the type of crimes you hear about in crime dramas, but they may be closer to reality than you think. White collar crimes are something that anyone can commit and can even happen unintentionally. How does someone commit these crimes? Money and business matters walk a tight line between what is legal and what is not. It only takes a single action that may not seem to have any victims for you to commit a white collar crime. Common examples of these crimes incl ..read more

Every year, new laws are considered. Sometimes, they are agreed upon and go into effect. In 2021, there have been several key pieces of legislation that were made into law. Some of these affect the court system, which you should know about if you are ever arguing against a criminal charge. New Tennessee laws in 2021 In criminal law, one of the new laws that may be important is the Alternatives to Incarceration Act. This new legislation expands upon Tennessee’s current Recovery Court System. The Recovery Court System includes three types of courts, Drug, Mental Health and Veterans. With the exp ..read more

A traffic officer pulls you over, makes allegations and writes a ticket. It may seem like the easiest way to put this behind you is to pay the ticket and move on. Although this may be the easiest step in that moment, it can have long-term consequences. Three impacts that come from paying off the ticket include: Guilt. Paying the ticket is the same as agreeing to the allegations. You have essentially stated that the allegations made by the officer are true, you were under the influence of alcohol, speeding, driving recklessly or whatever else the ticket may claim. Increased insurance. Once you ..read more

As schools in Tennessee and throughout the nation are continuing to resume operations after nearly a year of distance learning, students are returning to educational institutions in droves. Administrators are promoting environments where students can feel safe in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. Other protections against other potential threats in schools statewide have become law. Legislative action Prior to Tennessee lawmakers adjourning their 2021 session, they approved legislation in response to possible violence committed on school property. Threats alone on educational premises or schoo ..read more

No one wants to get pulled over by the police. Most people know that if they are, there is a good chance that they’ll be ticketed or arrested. It’s not a good idea to try to talk yourself out of this situation. Instead, now is a good time to know what you should not say to the police. While protecting yourself, you can be compliant with the officer’s requests, so that you appear reasonable and respectful during the traffic stop. If you are pulled over by the police, don’t make the mistake of saying these three things. I admit I had a drink The first thing you should never do is admit to drin ..read more

As schools in Tennessee and throughout the nation are continuing to resume operations after nearly a year of distance learning, students are returning to educational institutions in droves. Administrators are promoting environments where students can feel safe in the midst of an ongoing pandemic. Other protections against other potential threats in schools statewide have become law. Legislative action Prior to Tennessee lawmakers adjourning their 2021 session, they approved legislation in response to possible violence committed on school property. Threats alone on educational premises or schoo ..read more

No one wants to get pulled over by the police. Most people know that if they are, there is a good chance that they’ll be ticketed or arrested. It’s not a good idea to try to talk yourself out of this situation. Instead, now is a good time to know what you should not say to the police. While protecting yourself, you can be compliant with the officer’s requests, so that you appear reasonable and respectful during the traffic stop. If you are pulled over by the police, don’t make the mistake of saying these three things. I admit I had a drink The first thing you should never do is admit to drin ..read more

If your child has reached an age when they’ll be driving, it’s important to sit down to have a conversation about driving under the influence and how dangerous it can be. You should also discuss with your child that there are real, serious consequences for DUIs, even if they are underage. In Tennessee, there are specific laws that apply to drug and alcohol-related offenses by minors. These apply to people between the ages of 13 and 17 specifically. Discussing the penalties from a DUI conviction One of the first things to discuss after establishing that driving while impaired is dangerous and i ..read more

Although there are some significant consequences you could face due to a drug conviction, such as jail time or heavy fines, those short-term consequences are not anywhere as significant as the long-term consequences that could impact your life forever. Long-term consequences of drug convictions could include things such as: Not being able to find a job that will hire you Being deported if you’re on a visa as an immigrant Losing custody of your children in a divorce Becoming ineligible for some government programs Losing some of your rights, such as the right to vote or carry a firearm Not ev ..read more

Tennessee, like most states, makes it a crime for one person to touch or strike someone else to cause them harm. Physical contact intended to harm and to offend typically falls under the umbrella of assault. Assault statutes are even broader than prohibitions on physical violence. In Tennessee, someone can also face charges for threatening words or body language that creates a fear of imminent bodily harm. Most people accused of assault will face simple assault charges. Simple assault is usually a misdemeanor. However, sometimes prosecutors pursue aggravated assault charges when the circumstan ..read more