Tag Archives: defense attorney in raleigh

In North Carolina, What Are My Chances Of Probation in a DWI Manslaughter Case?

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North Carolina takes any charge of DWI seriously. The state aggressively prosecutes anyone arrested on DWI manslaughter, and punishments are harsh. However, some cases may be less serious and probation may be a possibility.

Definition Of Manslaughter

DWI Manslaughter Defense AttorneyIn North Carolina, DWI manslaughter is an action resulting in the death of someone that wouldn’t be classified as murder. There are three types of manslaughter:

  • Voluntary, the killing of a person with intent, such as a self-defense situation where deadly force wasn’t warranted
  • Involuntary, the killing of a person without intent, such as in the act of a non-felony crime, was criminally negligent or engaging in negligent conduct at the time
  • Vehicular, in which a person dies through an action involving a motor vehicle driven by someone in a reckless or negligent manner. Also called “death by vehicle,” it includes DWI, texting while driving, speeding, and other offenses.

Vehicular manslaughter that involves DWI is the most serious. At the least, an individual convicted of DWI will spend 24 hours in jail or have 24 hours of community service, along with a $200 fine.

Probation Is Possible

It is possible to receive probation after a DWI manslaughter case, but it will depend on the facts of your case, such as prior convictions and mitigating or aggravating factors. While it may not include incarceration, probation is not a “get out of jail free” card, either.

North Carolina has two types of probation: supervised and unsupervised. Both types have specific requirements and last for a specific length of time which are decided by the judge. This will include not participating in any criminal activity.

  • Unsupervised Probation has fewer conditions and is less restrictive. You will not have a probation officer but will have certain conditions you will have to meet. They can include:
    • Payment of all fines and court costs ordered by the judge by a specific deadline
    • Completion of an alcohol assessment and treatment program
    • Perform a defined term of community service, with the number of hours ordered by the judge
    • Being barred from driving without limited driving privileges or have a legal right to drive
  • Supervised probation requires you to follow the conditions for unsupervised probation, and all conditions issued by the judge, which may also include:
    • Paying all fees and court costs associate with being on probation
    • Regular meetings with your probation officer as required
    • Being either enrolled in school or employed, and notifying your probation officer if you are no longer employed or enrolled
    • Requiring permission from your probation officer to leave the state for any reason
    • Submit to blood, urine, or breath tests, or warrantless random searches if your probation officer sees the need
    • Submit to warrantless searches by law enforcement if they believe you may have been involved in any criminal activity.
    • Not possessing any illegal drugs or any controlled substances without a prescription from a licensed physician

Of course, you must strictly adhere to the terms set out by the judge for your probation. If you don’t follow the requirements, your probation can be revoked, and you can be sent to jail.

Getting to the point of probation requires the help of a skilled DWI attorney who can help with a case of DWI manslaughter.

DWI Manslaughter Defense Attorney

DWI, or Driving While Intoxicated, is always a serious charge in Raleigh, and anywhere in North Carolina. If you’ve been arrested for DWI Manslaughter or any DWI charge in Raleigh, it’s vital that you have a strong legal defense. Without it, you could be facing a longer jail sentence without the possibility of probation.

Dewey P. Brinkley is a Raleigh DWI defense attorney who can aggressively defend you against any DWI charges and protect your rights in the courtroom. We will work to have your charges reduced to probation or even dismissed.  Call the law offices of Dewey P. Brinkley today for a free initial consultation to discuss your DWI case at (919) 832-0307. You can also use our online contact form.

Why is Resisting Arrest a Serious Crime in Raleigh, NC?

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You’re being arrested, and you’re not sure why. Maybe you’re innocent and happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Whatever it’s for, you may be tempted to flee the scene or otherwise put up a fight, especially if you believe it’s a wrongful arrest. But should you?

Why Resisting Arrest Is A Crime

Why is Resisting Arrest a serious crime in Raleigh, NC?North Carolina General Statutes Section 14-223 states that “If any person shall willfully and unlawfully resist, delay or obstruct a public officer in discharging or attempting to discharge a duty of his office, he shall be guilty of a Class 2 misdemeanor.”  Additional information is available here.

Resisting arrest is doing something that interferes with a police officer doing his or her job. You can go to jail for as long as three months, even if you are innocent of the original charge. For instance, if you’re wrongly arrested for shoplifting and fight or resist the police officer, you can also be charged with resisting arrest. You may be acquitted of shoplifting, but can still be convicted of resisting arrest, and make a bad situation worse. In other words, until you resisted, you were innocent.

You may also be charged if you refuse to cooperate with an officer, give false information or refuse to accept a traffic ticket. Anytime you obstruct, resist or delay an officer or prevent him from doing his or her job, you can be arrested. While these are not the same as physical resistance, they carry the same weight.

Conviction of resisting arrest is a Class 2 Misdemeanor. This can mean:

  • Fines up of up to $1,000
  • Jail time of up to 60 days in county jail
  • Probation that can include required “counseling” and other regular meetings
  •  A requirement for community service

Defense

“Resisting arrest” can be interpreted a number of ways, but there are defenses that can be raised.

  • Self-defense against excessive force—the police are allowed to use necessary force in the course of an arrest. However, they are not allowed to be violent or use excessive force during arrests. If you were the victim of excessive force, you can argue that you were in the act of defending yourself.
  • Unlawful arrest—if a police officer arrests you without a warrant, do not have probable cause or otherwise exceeds authority, you have been “unlawfully” arrested.
  • False accusations—in court, you and your attorney must prove that the accusations are actually false.

Consult with an experienced criminal defense attorney before going to prepare your best defense.

Avoid Being Charged With Resisting Arrest

The first thing to remember is to be polite and cooperate with the police officer. No swearing, fighting or otherwise interfering with the officer, including resisting, delaying, or obstructing him or her.

You are required to give your name to the officer as well as your state identification. (If you’re involved in a car accident, you’ll also be asked for insurance and registration, which is also required.) Beyond that, you do not have to answer any questions, no matter how forcefully they are asked. Decline to answer, in the most civilized and polite fashion, and request to speak to a criminal defense attorney. (You may be given a public defender first.) Avoid answering any more questions or providing any information that, as they say on TV, can, and will, be used against you in court. You could unwittingly give a prosecutor enough information to convict.

Fight Charges of Resisting Arrest

Dewey P. Brinkley is an experienced criminal defense attorney in Raleigh. Before defending those accused of crimes, he was a Wake County Assistant District Attorney. He understands the criminal justice system and can defend you against even the most serious felony charges. If you’re charged with resisting arrest, you must take it seriously.

Call the Law Offices of Dewey P. Brinkley today for a free initial consultation to discuss your case at (919) 832-0307. You can also email us at dewey@deweypbrinkleylaw.com, or use our online contact form.

Raleigh Defense Lawyer Talks Successful Felony Defenses (Video)

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This is Part 2 of our weekly North Carolina Criminal Defense video blog: “Raleigh Defense Lawyer Talks Successful Felony Defenses.”

Transcript:

I’ve represented clients charged with murder, felony sex offenses, robbery with a dangerous weapon, kidnapping, and assault with a deadly weapon with the intent to kill. I’ve tried all of those types of cases before a jury here in Wake County. I’ve tried probably at least 30 felony trials where the offense was what we consider a Class A through E felony.

What You Should Expect When You Hire a Raleigh Criminal Defense Attorney

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When you’re arrested for an alleged crime by North Carolina law enforcement, you may feel devastated, frustrated, or just downright angry. However, it’s essential to remember that an arrest doesn’t mean you’re guilty, and you still have a battle in courts to prove your innocence, get the charges dropped, or seek reduced or alternative sentencing.

For this reason, it’s critical to contact an experienced Raleigh criminal defense attorney soon after you’re arrested. The main benefit of an attorney is the comprehensive representation you’ll receive, a diligent protection of your rights, and an advocate who’ll seek legal solutions. If you’ve been arrested, it’s important to not hesitate and contact one of Raleigh’s leading criminal defense lawyers by calling attorney Dewey P. Brinkley today at (919) 832-0307.

Why You Need a Criminal Defense Attorney

If you are looking at serious penalties, jail time, or other legal repercussions from an alleged crime, you’ll want the best criminal defense attorney fighting for you.  If facing criminal prosecution, your defense attorney can help you understand some fundamental things, including:

  • The nature of the charges filed against you
  • The available defenses
  • What plea bargains are likely to be offered
  • What you can expect after trial or a conviction

Criminal defense attorneys, like us at the Law Office of Dewey P. Brinkley, have substantial experience in a wide variety of criminal cases, including felonies, misdemeanors, DWIs, drug crimes, white collar crimes, sex crimes, and more. As such, no matter the unique circumstances that led to your arrest and alleged charges, an experienced defense attorney will aim to:

  • Reduce a criminal charge to a lesser offense
  • Lessen the severity of the punishments
  • Reduce or eliminate jail time
  • Develop a sound defense strategy

How a Criminal Defense Attorney Can Help

As your actual lawyer, the criminal defense attorney has many roles to more effectively achieve the desired result. In short, your attorney will do more than just cross-examine witnesses that the prosecution calls to the stand. Some of the other tasks that your lawyer may conduct can include:

  • Working with you and the prosecutor to negotiate a “deal,” also known as a plea bargain, to reduce or eliminate some or all of the charges filed against you.
  • Helping to determine a positive sentencing program in case you’re sentenced guilty. For instance, instead of spending 10 months in prison, your attorney can argue for 6 months in prison and 4 months in a rehabilitation center, for instance.
  • Helping you with the difficult emotions associated with a criminal trial.
  • Providing a reality check that includes important insights into how the trial is going and what you can actually expect to happen in the near future.
  • Pointing out essential legal rules and regulations that you might now know about.
  • Explaining some of the hidden consequences associated with pleading guilty.
  • Gathering statements, testimony, and evidence from witnesses that are to be called by the prosecution.
  • Finding and hiring investigators to investigate the alleged crime.
  • Finding and hiring expert witnesses that can show evidence or make the prosecution’s case less credible.

Call the Law Firm of Dewey P. Brinkley Today

When you call the Law Office of Dewey P. Brinkley, we’ll begin working on your case immediately. Together, we’ll go through the events leading up to your arrest, step by step, and search for any pieces of evidence, violations of your rights, and more. Our fundamental goal is to prove your innocence or, if you’re guilty and the evidence is thoroughly stacked against you, seek alternative or reduced punishments.

Time is often in short supply in these cases, so it’s important to act quickly. For your free consultation with attorney Brinkley, call our Raleigh law firm today at (919) 832-0307.

 

Yes, You Can Be Ticketed For Texting And Driving – Even If You’re Not Moving

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At the Law Office of Dewey P. Brinkley, people from all over Raleigh and Wake County call us or stop by our office with questions regarding traffic law in North Carolina. One comment that we often hear (surprisingly) is, “I was ticketed for texting and driving, but I wasn’t even moving.” In North Carolina, it is not illegal to use a cell phone while driving (except in certain circumstances), but the state has banned all texting while driving.

Raleigh NC Texting While Driving Attorney | Dewey Brinkley Law

If you were ticketed for texting and driving, you can benefit by calling the leading Raleigh traffic attorney, Dewey P. Brinkley. We will work closely with you, one-on-one, to try and mitigate the consequences of this ticket, and we provide professional service while protecting your interests. For a free, no-obligation consultation with Raleigh defense attorney Dewey Brinkley, call our law firm today at (919) 832-0307.

Texting and Driving Laws in North Carolina

In North Carolina, there is no law banning mobile, hand-held phone use while driving, except for drivers under 18 years old and school bus drivers. However, the State of North Carolina bans all texting while driving, and if a police officer sees you texting (or emailing, messaging, etc) while driving, then the police officer can pull you over and issue a citation.

It is important to note, that in an attempt to reduce and eliminate driving while texting (which is said to be almost as dangerous as driving while impaired), police officers can give you a ticket for texting while driving even if you aren’t moving. The specific statute regarding this law is § 20-137.4A, and it states:

  • “It shall be unlawful for any person to operate a vehicle on a public street or highway or public vehicular area while using a mobile telephone to:
    • (1) Manually enter multiple letters or text in the device as a means of communicating with another person; or
    • (2) Read any electronic mail or text message transmitted to the device or stored within the device, provided that this prohibition shall not apply to any name or number stored in the device nor to any caller identification information.

In other words, if you are looking at your phone in your lap, or simply have your phone in your hand, then a police over may be able to pull you over on the grounds you were texting and driving. In some cases, police officers may issue a ticket for reckless or careless driving, as opposed to texting while driving.

However, and this is important, the law doesn’t apply to GPS, apps, and games. This somewhat muddies the differences between texting and, for example, setting a destination in your GPS. Technically, to charge you for this traffic violation in a court of law, the judge would have to prove that 1) you were using the smartphone and 2) you were conducting text-based communications.

Contact the Law Office of Dewey P. Brinkley

There are many nuances to this law, and, in some cases, it can be difficult to prove that you were, in fact, texting while driving. Nonetheless, if you weren’t moving (aside from being lawfully stopped or parked), you can still receive the ticket. If found guilty, you could be facing a $100 fine and the costs of the court. If you’re a school bus driver, as defined in G.S. 20-137.4(a)(4), and you were caught texting while driving, you could be facing a class 2 misdemeanor.

If you were pulled over and ticketed for driving while texting, whether you were moving or not, make sure to call the Law Office of Dewey P. Brinkley as soon as possible. We offer professional, experienced-backed criminal defense. Call our Raleigh law firm at (919) 832-0307 for a free, no-obligation consultation.