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Can a Misdemeanor Negatively Impact My Life?

Some crimes are considered to be minor, and so people often assume that a conviction for these crimes won’t affect their lives much. They think they might spend a night or two in jail and receive a small fine, but overall, no big deal. This is not correct information. How Misdemeanors Can Negatively Affect Your Life Misdemeanors can do great harm to your life, more than you might think. Some people even believe misdemeanors are equally as bad as felonies in terms of how they affect your life in the long run.  For instance, a misdemeanor conviction of theft on your record doesn’t look much better than a felony theft conviction. Both convictions paint you a thief, and many employers will bypass your application or promotion due to your conviction. In this way, it doesn’t matter whether your conviction was a felony or misdemeanor. Your job prospects will likely be impacted by your conviction.  Another way misdemeanors can affect you is that your family relationships can be impacte
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Are There Defenses Against Conviction of a Sex Crime?

Being convicted of a sex crime is probably one of the worst types of convictions a person can have. Your life will be completely changed if you’re convicted.  You could be forced to register as a sex offender, and you could be unable to work certain types of jobs (the good kind). You could be unable to live in certain neighborhoods, be around children, or go to certain places.  You might not be able to be around your own underage family members without supervision. In addition, some people who are convicted of sex offenses must be on probation for life—for life . Imagine never having your freedom again. Your life would never be your own. There is one way to avoid losing your freedom, diminishing your job prospects, and all the other negative consequences of a sex offense conviction. You must avoid conviction. How to Fight a Sex Offense  Defenses do exist against sex crimes, but you will have to be brave and take on the prosecution. Of course you don’t have to be alone. A crim
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Can You Go to Jail for a First-Time Drug Offense?

No one wants to be arrested and prosecuted for a drug offense. You really don’t want to be convicted of one. If this is your first time ever being arrested for a drug crime, you might think the state of Texas will take it easy on you. Think again. Texas doesn’t decide on legal penalties based solely on whether this is your first offense. They look at many factors.  For instance, the prosecution will look at the amount of drugs that were in your possession at the time of the offense. They will look at whether you were using drugs or selling drugs. They will look at whether you were using drugs around minors or whether you were selling drugs to minors. All these factors and more play a significant role in whether you will be sentenced to jail, prison, or probation. You could go to prison for a first-time drug offense if it is serious enough. Are There Defenses Against a Drug Charge? Of course there are defenses against conviction of drug charges. You could avoid going to jail,
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What Does a Criminal Lawyer Really Do?

People sometimes talk about criminal defense lawyers in negative ways. They say things like, “They don’t really do much to help you.” The people who say these things probably had a bad criminal lawyer.  Not all criminal defense lawyers are equal, just like not all doctors are equal. You have to find one that cares about helping people, is good at their job, and doesn’t back down. Learn what a criminal lawyer really does by reading on. Four Ways Your Criminal Lawyer Can Help You Your defense attorney starts by examining your case and finding the ways they can help you. One way they might be able to help you right away is to give you legal advice to improve your overall situation. They can advise you what to say and not say to police. They can advise you on how to make this situation better for you and your family. Another way your lawyer can help you is by getting you out jail . Your lawyer can speed up hearings and work to convince the judge that you deserve to be in the commu
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Common Types of White Collar Crime

White collar crime is a serious problem, and it’s one that could affect the finances of many people connected to the crime or the criminals involved. Unfortunately, you may be learning firsthand how seriously white collar crime is taken.  However, you may not even be sure what counts as white collar crime. If you’re struggling to understand the charges against you or what white collar crime is, checking out our list of some of the most common types of white collar crime.  Investment Schemes Many people invest their money in the stock market, hoping to see high rewards for their efforts. Unfortunately, the stock market is constantly changing, which means that a bad day could cause you to lose thousands of dollars or more.  Investment schemes push people to invest with the promise of high rewards for a low risk. These scams require people to invest their money with the promise of a high payout if the company’s stocks rise above a certain point. When those numbers don’t rise, the
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How Not to Hurt Your Criminal Case

People make mistakes and they get arrested for various crimes. Sometimes, you might have known what you were doing was wrong. Other times, you could be completely surprised by an arrest. Either way, you are facing criminal charges, and that can be scary. People often make poor decisions when they are stressed or scared, and there’s almost nothing more frightening than being arrested for a crime. You know you could face legal penalties, such as jail or prison, fines, probation, community service, and more. When you are facing criminal charges, it’s easy to make decisions that can actually harm your case. How Not to Harm Your Case If you don’t want to harm your criminal case and make your situation worse, here are a few tips. Know Your Rights One way to not hurt your case is to know your rights. For instance, if you know that you have the right to remain silent, take advantage of that right. If you know that you have the right to call a lawyer, take advantage of that right. Kno
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Texas Cyberbullying Laws and What to Do if You're Charged

Cyberbullying may seem like a minor crime, but it has become more serious in the last few decades as the internet has become more popular and younger generations have gained greater access to social media platforms. Because cyberbullying can lead to both physical and emotional injury, it’s essential for the state of Texas to criminalize this behavior so both kids and adults take it seriously.  If you’ve been charged with cyberbullying, you may need the help of a Dallas criminal defense lawyer from Chris Lewis & Associates P.C. to clear your name. Although the laws surrounding cyberbullying are real, each case is unique and must be examined individually. What Is Cyberbullying? Cyberbullying is defined in Texas as a person using any electronic communication device to engage in bullying or intimidation. Because cyberbullying is done from behind a screen, it’s more common and requires less courage than traditional bullying. Cyberbullying is often anonymous, which makes it hard t
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