Should I Participate In A Title IX Interview?
Facing an allegation of sexual assault or sexual misconduct at a college or university can be an incredibly intimidating and confusing process. The investigation can move extremely fast, and you don’t have much time to consider whether or not you should submit to an interview with the Title IX investigator who will be handling the […]
Victim Impact Statements
Recently in the news there has been some discussion about Victim Impact Statements. Legislators have proposed a bill that would require those convicted of a serious crime to listen to the statements of victims or families during sentencing. Whether an individual convicted of a crime should have to be present during victim impact statements has been debated […]
Suit filed against Traverse Narcotics Team for making false statements to obtain arrest warrant.
TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. – A federal lawsuit filed today in the United States District Court in Grand Rapids alleges that police officers from the Traverse Narcotics Team, Kalkaska County Sheriff’s Office and Michigan State Police lied to a Grand Traverse County Judge in order to obtain an arrest warrant. The suit, which names Kalkaska Deputy […]
Procedure For Sexual Misconduct Investigations At Western Michigan University
Sexual misconduct allegations in a university setting are serious, and can have serious, life-long consequences. It is important to understand what is going to happen during the course of these investigations, and to ensure that you put yourself in the best possible position to avoid a finding of responsibility for sexual assault or sexual harassment. […]
Criminal Contempt for Failure to Appear
Let’s preface this with some advice: you should always appear for every court date in a criminal case pending against you. But what can happen if you don’t show up? Generally speaking, judges have authority over proceedings in their court and can exercise that power when someone charged with a crime fails to appear for court. The court has […]
Procedure For Sexual Misconduct Investigations at Hope College
Sexual misconduct allegations in a college setting are serious, and can have serious, life-long consequences. It is important to understand what is going to happen during the course of these investigations, and to ensure that you put yourself in the best possible position to avoid a finding of responsibility for sexual assault or sexual harassment. […]
How Does a Judge Determine the Sentence in a Federal Child Pornography Case?
If you’re facing sentencing for a federal child pornography case, the stakes are pretty serious. A conviction for receipt of child pornography (18 USC 2252A) carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years in federal prison. A conviction for producing child pornography (18 USC 2251) carries a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years in federal prison. […]
Leaving the Scene of an Accident
Failure to stop at the scene of an accident, or as it is more commonly known—hit and run—is a criminal offense. Depending on the damage or injury that occurs, the penalties for this offense vary. If you find yourself in a situation where you know or have reason to believe that you have been involved […]
Mandatory Minimums in Sex Cases
What is a mandatory minimum in a criminal sexual conduct or child pornography case? Facing an allegation of sexual assault, child molestation, or child pornography for most people is the most terrifying experience of their life. That experience can be even more scary when they are charged with a crime that carries a penalty with […]
Obtaining Work Release In Montcalm County
No one wants to be sentenced to jail time, but in some circumstances it cannot be avoided. If you are facing a jail sentence in Montcalm County, you want to do everything you can in order to minimize the damage to your life. This includes trying to keep your job while you are serving your […]
