Being arrested is likely an unexpected and traumatic experience. One of your top concerns when this happens might be getting out of jail while your case is moving through the criminal justice system. There are several ways that this might happen. One of these is that the court will allow you to get out of jail on your own recognizance based on a promise to appear in court. Another option is that you’ll have to pay bail, which is done using money or assets that meet a certain value. How is bail set in criminal cases? Bail is sometimes set at a universal amount for a specific charge, which means ..read more

Some driving under the influence (DUI) charges arise due to obvious legal violations. Someone drove in a very poor manner or caused a crash that had consequences for other people. Police officers may arrest anyone involved in a crash if a breath test shows they were over the legal limit and often screen those driving poorly for signs of intoxication. What some people do not realize is that a large portion of the DUI cases prosecuted in Virginia do not involve crashes or severely impaired driving. Instead, they involve drivers who have technically violated state laws. A per se DUI charge may re ..read more

Most people realize that flashing blue and red lights in their rearview mirror may mean a traffic ticket. Fewer people expect to find a ticket in their mail when they go out to check their mailbox. However, many motorists in Virginia every month also receive citations in the mail because of traffic cameras. Virginia uses a combination of high-quality traffic cameras, artificial intelligence (AI) software and in-person review to issue traffic citations without conducting individual traffic stops. What does someone who recently received a ticket in the mail need to know about this practice? Traf ..read more

Defensive driving is an important skill that drivers need to focus on in order to minimize their odds of causing or otherwise being involved in an auto accident. In a general sense, defensive driving is the practice of trying to anticipate other driver’s mistakes. Human error leads to most car accidents. Anticipating such errors coming can help motorists to avoid many kinds of crash scenarios. How can you become a more effective defensive driver? Here are some tips to improve your defensive driving skills. Stay alert Watch other drivers closely, paying attention to both the road and the vehicl ..read more

Co-parenting can be challenging, especially when there are disagreements or constant conflict between the parents. Many parents still choose to co-parent because of the benefits it provides the children: stability, consistency, less change and active participation from both parents. If your divorce is contentious and you are wondering if it is possible to co-parent, the answer is yes! You can absolutely figure out a way to parent together if you are both willing to do it for the children and if you have a solid plan in place. Develop a parenting plan Whether you have a court-issued parenting p ..read more

Hiding assets during a divorce is generally illegal. Divorce proceedings require honesty, transparency and full financial disclosure to ensure a fair division of assets and liabilities. Unfortunately, this reality does not stop everyone from trying to hide assets so that they do not have to split them with their spouse. It’s important to understand how someone may attempt to hide assets so that their efforts can be uncovered and appropriately addressed. Underreporting income One spouse might manipulate financial records to indicate that they earn lower income than they do, which could impact a ..read more

Semi-trucks are an essential part of the modern economy. They help to keep grocery stores stocked with produce and provide a cost-effective means of transporting everything from beer and unpasteurized cow’s milk in refrigerated liquid trailers to motor vehicles fresh off the production line. Of course, the trade-off for that efficient transportation is the risk that semi-trucks generate for others in traffic. Individual drivers can do a lot to reduce crash risk, but so can the companies that employ semi-truck drivers. How can transportation companies reduce the chances of one of their drivers ..read more

Driving a motor vehicle requires someone’s full focus. The best practices for driving include keeping both hands on the wheel, one’s visual focus on the road ahead and one’s mental focus on the challenges of driving. Distraction can increase someone’s reaction time when something unexpected happens in traffic. They may fail to notice a child in the road or a vehicle stopped ahead of them until it is too late to avoid a crash. The stress involved in recognizing that issue ahead could also compromise their decision-making ability. People are largely aware that they shouldn’t handle their mobile ..read more

Virginia has many traffic laws that exist primarily for the safety of the public. Rules regarding when to grant someone else the right of way at a busy intersection and concerning insurance coverage help reduce the risk of crashes and the overall danger of driving. Sadly, there are plenty of drivers who break traffic laws without much consideration of the potential consequences. There are many motorists who drive when they have a suspended license or when they know they are too drunk to legally operate a motor vehicle, for example. Some of these irresponsible drivers will cause crashes and may ..read more

Life is never easy for those with disabling medical conditions. Those born autistic or with other intellectual disabilities may struggle to achieve the same milestones that their peers reach with minimal difficulty. Making sense of social rules, having the ability to make good choices in a difficult scenario and complying with verbal instructions can all be difficult for those with some kind of intellectual or cognitive disability. Virginia state law actually has special rules in place protecting those with a formal medical diagnosis of autism or similar intellectual disorders. Defendants arre ..read more