Hopkinsville Kentucky Criminal Law Blog

Give your felony charge the attention it deserves

On behalf of Michael J. Thompson, Attorney at Law posted in Felonies on Thursday, September 14, 2017.

Facing felony charges is something that frightens many people, especially if you think about the horrible consequences that can occur. It is imperative that you take the time to learn about the defense options that you have. You might be surprised at some of the options that you have.

We know that you probably have some concerns that you want to discuss. This is understandable. We try to work with you to make sure that you can make a decision based on the circumstances of the case. Of course, we want to get started on the defense strategy as quickly as possible so you shouldn't waste time getting your defense moving once you know you are facing charges.

Know your rights when there is a lineup involved in your case

On behalf of Michael J. Thompson, Attorney at Law posted in Criminal Defense on Thursday, September 7, 2017.

The criminal justice system sets very specific rights for people who are facing charges. These individuals must make sure that their rights are being respected or they might end up being railroaded. One of the areas that some people might not realize is included in those in which the defendant's counsel must be present is the lineup.

On television and in the movies, you see random people walk into a room while the frightened witness points out who they say committed the crime. Oftentimes, these shows only depict the detectives and police officers there with the witness who is doing the identification. This isn't how it must be when this happens outside of TV land.

Take the discovery process seriously

On behalf of Michael J. Thompson, Attorney at Law posted in Criminal Defense on Thursday, August 31, 2017.

There are many steps to the criminal justice process that people might look over when they are thinking about their case. The discovery process is one of these; however, it is a very important part of the case since it is a chance to gather and share information.

One of the ways that the discovery process is handled is through depositions. The deposition is a question and answer session that is conducted under oath. This means that you must tell the truth during the questioning. A big difference between a deposition and a trial is that things are a bit more informal during the deposition and everything is a lot less structured.

Labor Day is near: Plan for your transportation needs now

On behalf of Michael J. Thompson, Attorney at Law posted in Drunk Driving on Thursday, August 24, 2017.

The end of the summer is almost here. With Labor Day just around the corner, people are going to be taking advantage of the long weekend to party. If this is one of the things that you are planning, make sure that you are taking the time to plan for transportation if you are going to drink alcohol.

Drinking and driving charges might put a big damper on your festive weekend. The only way to avoid facing these charges is to find a designated driver or another responsible way home if you are going to drink.

Why does the law make such a big deal about drunk driving?

On behalf of Michael J. Thompson, Attorney at Law posted in Drunk Driving on Thursday, August 17, 2017.

Almost everyone knows that drinking alcohol and then driving is illegal. The reason for this is that drunk drivers put everyone on the road with them at risk of being involved in an accident that can be fatal or lead to severe injuries.

There are several different impacts that alcohol has on your body. Understanding these might help you to realize just how dangerous it is to drink and drive.

Explore the possible defenses for domestic violence charges

On behalf of Michael J. Thompson, Attorney at Law posted in Domestic Violence on Friday, August 11, 2017.

As we recently discussed, the warning signs of domestic abuse are sometimes present in criminal cases. For those who face domestic violence charges, the outcome of these cases can have a major, far-reaching impact on lives.

One thing that you need to realize is that domestic violence allegations are considered to be violent charges. This means that a conviction can have a huge effect on your job, your family and your future.

Prosecutions might rely on signs of domestic violence in a case

On behalf of Michael J. Thompson, Attorney at Law posted in Domestic Violence on Thursday, August 3, 2017.

Domestic abuse is something that isn't always easy to prove in court. If you have been accused of domestic violence, it is imperative that you take the points being used against you into account when you decide what you are going to do about your defense.

There are several signs of domestic violence that might be present in some cases. One of the most obvious signs of domestic violence is that the victim suffers injuries often. These injuries usually come with a story about how the accident happened. The accident is just a sham to try to protect their abuser.

Drunk driving convictions can lead to ignition interlocks

On behalf of Michael J. Thompson, Attorney at Law posted in Drunk Driving on Thursday, July 27, 2017.

Drunk driving charges can change your life dramatically. One thing that you might not realize is that some drunk driving convictions result in having to install an ignition interlock on your vehicle.

An ignition interlock is a device that requires you to blow into it before starting your car or truck. It is meant to prevent people from driving drunk. The device measures your breath for alcohol. If the result is higher than a preset amount, the vehicle won't move. You also have to blow into it periodically during a drive.

Start your criminal defense immediately after arrest

On behalf of Michael J. Thompson, Attorney at Law posted in Criminal Defense on Thursday, July 20, 2017.

We recently discussed how bail isn't required in all criminal cases. It is possible for a judge to order that you are released from jail on your own recognizance. This means that you have to sign a document stating that you will show up for your court dates. If you don't, you can face arrest.

Getting out of jail is often a primary concern of a person who is facing criminal charges. Having to sit in jail means that you can't really work on your defense. You can't support yourself and you can't enjoy freedom while you wait on the outcome of your case.

Bail sometimes isn't required to get out of jail

On behalf of Michael J. Thompson, Attorney at Law posted in Criminal Defense on Thursday, July 13, 2017.

When you are arrested for any criminal charge, your focus will usually turn to getting out of jail. Everything else will likely come in second after that. Before you can get out of jail, you will have to find out about a bail amount.

Bail is the amount of money or assets that you will have to put up to the court as a way of guaranteeing that you are going to show up at your future court dates. If you have a bail hearing, there is a chance that you won't have to put any money or assets up if you can convince the judge to release you on own recognizance.