Criminal Law

Being a party in a criminal action is a very ominous situation. The criminal system is unforgiving and difficult to understand. It is important to understand when you should speak to law enforcement and when you should not speak to law enforcement. It is important to understand what situations could heighten your chances of being involved in the criminal system, what you should do if you believe that you may be in one of those situations, and what you can do to distance yourself from the those situations.

Our Bill of Rights were set forth by James Madison, Thomas Jefferson, and others to protect the fundamental principles of human liberty and to protect the citizens of this country from an over-aggressive government. Too often, people forget about their ‘rights’ or believe that they do not need to invoke their ‘rights’ to protect them from being made a part of the criminal system. Many innocent people and well-meaning people have been expectantly consumed in the criminal system because they thought that their ‘truth will set them free’ or that ‘certainly, the police will agree with my story.’

Whether you are in a potential DUI situation, domestic violence situation, or other misdemeanor or felony situation, the primary right that you should remember when approached by law enforcement is that you have a right to have an attorney with you when you are questioned. Maintaining your silence until you have spoken to an attorney can often avoid embarrassing and costly involvement in the criminal system.

The Attorneys practicing in this area are:

Garrett L. Smith