To truly honor the presumption of innocence is not to charge a fee for admission to the presumption. If you are charged with an offense in Tennessee, other than capital murder, you are entitled to a bail amount set by […]
In Sumner County recently, a high-profile trial ended in a mistrial leading court watchers to ask the question: What happened and what happens now? Timothy Batts was charged with reckless homicide and several other offenses that resulted from the shooting […]
On a remote piece of property in the tiny, unincorporated town of Culleoka, the entire scope of Tennessee evidentiary law changed and criminal practitioners are still grappling with the aftermath. On a spring day in April 2012, law enforcement officers, […]
As a criminal defense attorney, one of the most difficult and challenging parts of the job is taking your client’s position and proving it to the prosecutor, the judge or the jury (or sometimes all three at once). While it […]
As a criminal defense lawyer who also does some civil work, I’m often struck by the differences between civil and criminal law when it comes to pre-trial testimony. In civil cases, it would be almost unheard of to have a […]
With the 2016 presidential election now effectively decided, and as President-elect Trump moves to make Cabinet and White House staff choices, a question looms large for lawyers: what will happen to the U.S. Supreme Court vacancy following the death of […]
I often see a bumper sticker put out by the Nashville Songwriters Association International that reads, “It All Begins With a Song.” It reminds me that, when it comes to defending a client charged with driving under the influence (DUI), […]
The metropolitan government of Nashville recently passed an ordinance that makes the possession of less than ½ ounce of marijuana a civil violation. This ordinance would theoretically allow police officers who encounter a citizen with a small amount of marijuana […]
For the faithful readers of my column, you know that I love some “binge-worthy” television about true crime. Several columns ago, I discussed the excellent “Making A Murderer” documentary. Now, I’m offering some thoughts on the documentary “O.J.: Made In […]
The two Georgia prosecutors highlighted the names of black jurors in green. They were the only jurors highlighted. In case there was any misunderstanding, a helpful key was at the top of the prosecutor’s copy of the jury list: “green […]
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