Tennessee drunk driving charge a result of failure to yield?
A Tennessee woman may have learned an important lesson about how to react to flashing lights — especially if those lights are on a police car. The police vehicle was originally responding to a report of a burglary that came in shortly after 12 a.m. on the second Wednesday of July. If the call wasn’t
Tennessee will crack down on drunk driving in the future
Drunken driving is a serious offense. No matter where you live, who you are or what you drive – DUI is against the law. Now, recent changes on the state and national level may mean as many as 3,000 additional driving under the influence convictions in the state of Tennessee each and every year. Changes
Community Care Taking Encounter is Objectively Reasonable
Community care taking is one of the functions of law enforcement. A police officer performing a community care taking function needs no additional objective justification (reasonable suspicion or probable cause) for an encounter with members of the public. Community care taking encounters are considered consensual. A police officer may approach a car parked in public
Tennessee man gets 30 years for vehicular homicide
It can be agonizing awaiting the sentencing for being responsible for a fatal accident. A person accused of a horrific crime such as this faces severe consequences. Recently, a Tennessee man was sentenced to 30 years in prison on charges of vehicular homicide in connection with a hit-and-run accident that took the lives of three people. A
Appellate Court Reverses Exclusion of Evidence
Evidence obtained as a result of an unlawful arrest is generally not admissible at trial. If evidence was obtained as a result of a defendant’s arrest, and there is reason to challenge the legality of that arrest, this is an issue which should be determined by the trial court before the trial of the case.
Felony DUI for prescription drug abuse a Tennessee problem
Tennessee authorities say that a recent traffic stop in Henderson County underscores some of the problems that law enforcement are targeting on our roadways. The apparent prevalence of prescription drugs has been an issue of some concern to police throughout our state. Indeed, as many as three quarters of all driving under the influence arrests
Prior Testimony Generally Admissible on Retrial
A criminal defendant’s prior testimony about a particular incident is generally admissible in a retrial of the same case, even if the defendant elects not to testify on retrial. Certainly the original statement is a prior statement of the accused, not coerced or improperly obtained, as it was offered in court after being advised of
Repeat drunk driving offender causes fatal accident in Tennessee
Loss of life in any car accident is devastating. However, that devastation is made all the more apparent when the accident comes as a result of a temporary lapse in judgment made by another driver. Recently, an 89-year-old man lost his life on a Tennessee roadway, allegedly due to one woman’s drunk driving. According to the
Theft of Used iPad Reduced to Misdemeanor
The offense of theft of property in Tennessee is graded based on the value of the stolen property. Stealing property valued at under $500 is a class A misdemeanor. Theft of property valued at $500 or more is a felony, with classifications from E ($500 to under $1,000), to D ($1,000 to under $10,000), to C ($10,000
New Tennessee law targets drunk driving first offenders
The law concerning first time DUI offenders in Tennessee has changed. The newly enacted law is effective on the first day of July. Going forward, those convicted of drunk driving for the first time are required by law to use an ignition interlock device on their vehicles. Mothers Against Drunk Driving, a nationally recognized organization, says that