In a criminal case, there are some offenses that are known as "wobblers." That means a charge can be prosecuted either as a serious felony or as a relatively milder misdemeanor. Depending on the circumstances surrounding your arrest, driving while intoxicated can end up being a wobbler charge — even for a first offense. What sort of things can make driving while intoxicated (DWI) a "wobbler" that the prosecution can turn into a more serious charge?

Workers' comp claims increase employers' costs of doing business and cuts into the insurance company's profits. Thus, you can expect that both your company and the workers' comp agency will look for ways to avoid paying your claim. One thing that may be used against you in your case is any criminal record you may have. Here' what you need to know about this possibility and how to guard against it.

Getting drunk and operating a motor vehicle before sobering up is one of the biggest mistakes that many people make on a daily basis. Sometimes people neglect to realize just how drunk they actually are and end up causing accidents while driving their vehicles. If you collided with another person's vehicle and caused one or more injuries in the process, you must prepare to face the legal consequences for your actions.

Although assault is typically charged as a misdemeanor, being convicted of the crime can still mean jail time, fines, and other problems. To get the case off his or her desk, the prosecutor will likely offer a plea deal, but here are two defenses you can use that may help you avoid a conviction altogether. Show the Threat Wasn't Credible Assault is defined as a verbal or non-verbal threat that causes the recipient to fear he or she will be harmed in some way.

Being on probation is not something you should take lightly. Violating your probation can happen in many ways, which basically involves getting yourself involved in any kind of criminal activity. This also includes not showing up to your court dates, which you agree to when you are on probation. If you are facing charges for violating your probation terms, you need to contact a lawyer to protect your rights and possibly lessen charges for the violation.

If you've recently had a night of drinking that led to you getting behind the wheel and getting arrested, it's crucial that you take this matter incredibly serious. The more work you put into getting legal representation, the easier it'll be for you to win the case and move forward with your life. You'll need to learn a little bit more about the DUI laws where you live, in addition to trusting the work of a lawyer that can assist you.

Tiger Woods: a professional golfer who is often in the spotlight for the wrong reasons. Most recently, he found himself getting a lot of media attention for allegedly sleeping behind the wheel of a vehicle while under the influence of drugs. According to the police affidavit, there was no alcohol in Woods' system, but he was charged with a DUI. The affidavit also stated that his vehicle was running at the time that police found him and had suffered various damages, including flat tires.

Having your criminal records expunged can often be one of the most important things that you can do after you have been charged with a crime, mostly because it can help you avoid future hardships in your life. Listed below are two reasons to hire an attorney like Goodman Katz Koonce & Maroc to help you get your criminal records expunged. Determine Your Eligibility One of the hardest parts about getting your criminal records expunged is the fact that every state seems to have different laws and guidelines when it comes to which crimes you can have expunged and how to go about getting those criminal records expunged.

When people under the age of 18 commit crimes, they are treated differently than adults. Their trials follow a different circumstance and they usually receive different punishments. However, some circumstances cause juvenile's to be tried as adults. Why does this happen? And how can it be defended? Most Juvenile Crimes Are Processed Differently Juvenile's get certain rights and protections because of their lack of some constitutional rights. This might seem harsh, but they actually don't have the right to a trial by a jury of their peers.

Defendants are sentenced based on their current state of health and other knowable factors. As everyone knows, though, things can change fairly quickly, and it's not unusual for people to develop debilitating and life-threatening conditions while in prison. When this occurs, it may be possible to get out of jail early by winning a compassionate release. Here's more information about this legal option. Qualifying for a Compassionate Release A compassionate release is a type of clemency where the inmate is let out of jail before his or her sentence is complete due to extraordinary or compelling circumstances.