http://www.tennesseecriminallawyerblog.com/ Published by Baker Associates en-us 2010-03-10T23:29:32-05:00 http://www.tennesseecriminallawyerblog.com/2010/03/electronic_recording_of_statem.html Whether statements and confessions given by suspects to police should be electronically recorded is an issue that is beginning to come to the forefront of criminal law across the nation. Proponents of mandatory recording argue that recording is necessary to... Criminal Defense joe 2010-03-10T23:29:32-05:00 http://www.tennesseecriminallawyerblog.com/2010/03/what_happens_when_the_laws_cha.html Criminal trials can take months, years, or even decades from start to finish. Not surprisingly, laws can change mid-trial for many defendants for various reasons and can cause a great deal of confusion for defendants when laws change that directly... joe 2010-03-09T21:54:52-05:00 http://www.tennesseecriminallawyerblog.com/2010/03/what_is_a_life_sentence.html Hearing that someone is sentenced to a “life sentence” is fairly common, especially with regard to the legal headlines where the most heinous crimes (with the harshest sentences) tend to dominate. However, what exactly constitutes a life sentence is... joe 2010-03-08T21:41:31-05:00 http://www.tennesseecriminallawyerblog.com/2010/03/enhancement_factors.html For a criminal defendant, an enhancement factor is something he or she wants to avoid if at all possible. Simply put, an enhancement factor is a factor that can be considered by the trial court in imposing a more... Criminal Defense joe 2010-03-05T21:46:04-05:00 http://www.tennesseecriminallawyerblog.com/2010/03/search_warrants_what_is_a_search.html Yesterday’s article focused specifically on searches of open fields, the significance of those areas being that they are sometimes used for the purpose of conducting illegal activities such as growing marijuana. The question regarding those areas for constitutional purposes is... Drug Offenses joe 2010-03-04T14:48:32-05:00 http://www.tennesseecriminallawyerblog.com/2010/03/search_warrants_open_fields_doctrine.html Search warrant issues arise with great frequency in the East Tennessee criminal law context, as law enforcement officials often seize narcotics, weapons, or some other evidence that is extremely damaging to the defendant’s case. As such, the defendant needs to... Criminal Defense joe 2010-03-03T17:36:18-05:00 http://www.tennesseecriminallawyerblog.com/2010/03/us_supreme_court_rules_on_miranda_issue.html In a case styled Florida v. Powell that threatens to erode the effectiveness of Miranda warnings a great deal, the United States Supreme Court ruled on February 23, 2010 that a suspect does not have to be expressly advised during... Criminal Defense joe 2010-03-02T19:18:11-05:00 http://www.tennesseecriminallawyerblog.com/2010/03/use_of_prior_convictions_at_tr.html For a criminal defendant, one of the most damaging pieces of evidence at trial can be a prior conviction. The admission of a prior conviction via impeachment can do irreparable damage to a defendant, making them appear untrustworthy, dishonest, or... Criminal Defense joe 2010-03-01T21:51:57-05:00 http://www.tennesseecriminallawyerblog.com/2010/02/request_for_an_attorney_must_be_unequivocal.html In what is a somewhat bizarre case, the Tennessee Supreme Court will decide soon what type of speech qualifies as a request for an attorney. A defendant is constitutionally guaranteed the right to an attorney but in order to exercise... Criminal Law News joe 2010-02-26T17:01:53-05:00 http://www.tennesseecriminallawyerblog.com/2010/02/right_to_confrontation_case_to_come_before_states_highest_court.html Cases that deal with constitutional rights are often some of the most difficult to analyze and thus often find their way to the highest courts. As such, it is no surprise that a case dealing with a defendant’s constitutional right... Criminal Appeals joe 2010-02-25T16:52:34-05:00