Citizens across Montana rely on their driving privileges for a variety of reasons each day. Often, driving is the only way that individuals can earn money through employment. Additionally, people commonly rely on using the road to visit loved ones and make social...
Criminal Law
Can you handle a DUI defense on your own?
To err is human, but some mistakes tend to carry more severe consequences than others. If you are facing DUI charges, then you know the penalties that come with a guilty verdict, such as fines, the suspension of your driver’s license and even a possible jail term. ...
Should I tell my attorney everything?
When you’re facing criminal charges, it can be hard to know who to trust. Having trust issues around a case can lead someone to withhold information from their attorney, but is this a good idea? Do you tell your attorney everything -- even things that cast you in a...
The Supreme Court has limited police pursuits and entries
Knowing your civil rights is important because you never know when you might have an interaction with law enforcement. Police officers sometimes willingly bend or outright break the law in their attempts to enforce it. They also violate people's civil rights or...
3 things you need to know when stopped on suspicion of drunk driving
Let’s get the obvious out of the way: Drunk driving is a bad idea. You should not drive while drunk because you do not want to endanger anyone’s life, including yours. Montana is one of the deadliest states when it comes to drunk driving accidents. In fact, according...
One kind of crime could end your right to own a firearm
Given that your right to possess weapons is part of the Bill of Rights, it takes extreme circumstances to strip you of that right. Some people assume that their right to own and carry weapons is one that they can never lose. However, while it isn't common, it is...
Self-defense applies to other people, not just yourself
You probably realize that Montana law permits you to use physical force to defend yourself when someone else tries to hurt you. Despite what the name implies, however, self-defense law doesn't just protect you if you take actions to defend your own physical...
Why there is no upside to performing field sobriety tests
Many drunk driving arrests begin when the officer requests the driver to perform several standardized tests. An earlier blog entry described these standardized tests that motorists who get stopped on suspicion of DUI are asked to take. Many drivers don’t realize that...
When can a driver challenge the legality of a traffic stop?
Police officers patrol the surface streets and highways of Montana o keep the public safe. By stopping those who clearly violate the law and either arresting or citing them, officers help reduce the number of traffic infractions and crashes that occur. Individuals...
What does it mean if your criminal charges are dismissed “with prejudice?”
Criminal cases -- particularly serious ones -- don’t get dismissed that often. But dismissals do happen. In rare instances, the prosecution may ask the court to dismiss a case (usually because they realize they don’t have enough evidence for a conviction). Almost all...
