Do You Have To Pay A Community Defender?

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Facing any legal cases can be hassle for any person because it does not only consume a lot of your time, but it also consumes a lot of money just to have an attorney. Fortunately, there are community defender that is always available to represent anyone on court who needs legal services but does not have any budget.

Who are these people? Why are they offering free legal services to the people in need? These people are part of different non-profit organizations that aims to give legal services without any payment or asking any favor in return. We can safely call them as “good Samaritans” because they are doing it out of goodwill.

Types of Public Defenders

There are different public or community defender in any country. Some of them are sponsored by the state while some are being supported by non-government organizations just to give public service to the people. Today, we will look at the three common types of public defenders that people can go to in case they need some legal advice.

Legal Clinics

The legal clinics are mostly sponsored by some big law firms and universities out of their goodwill and to provide free legal services to the people who cannot afford to hire an attorney. Some of the people working in these clinics are law interns who are studying for their bar exams.

Public Law Firms

Some law firms are founded just to provide free legal services or aids to the public. It is their mission to help the people in need especially those who are facing any civil cases that were being taking advantage of companies who does not pay their salary on time.

Pro Bono Attorneys

These attorneys are people who willingly donates their time and legal service to the people out of their sheer goodwill and pure kindness. They really feel burdened to help those people in need but cannot afford to have a good attorney because they do not have enough funds.

While some of these attorneys are doing it voluntary, some of them are forced by the law (depends on the country) just like in the United States wherein their attorneys are required to donate at least 50 hours of free legal service to the people.

Conclusion

In summary, we can call these public defenders as heroes of the people. They do not ask for payments just to give their legal services to the people. These lawyers have a pure and kind heart because they are willing to help people without asking in return.

Can A Lawyer Get Minor Drug Charges Dismissed?

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Teenage life is the best. This is what most people usually say because this is the time of your life where you are curious about everything. Teenagers tends to explore everything that they do not know and that includes illegal drugs. Therefore, a lot of minors are having drug charges at their young age.

Vape teenager. Young pretty caucasian brunette girl smoking an electronic cigarette on the street in the spring. Deadly bad habit.

So, what happens when a minor or a teenager got caught in possession of illegal drugs? Were they arrested immediately and face imprisonment? Well, just like any legal cases, the first thing a minor should do is to get an attorney to represent him.

What Can a Lawyer Do for a Minor?

In this article, we will discuss the things a lawyer can do for a minor or a teenager for the drug charges he or she is facing. A lot of people think that these minors will get off the charges easily just because of their age, but they are wrong.

A criminal case is still a criminal case regardless of your age and gender. The court of law does not show any partiality because justice shall always prevail. But the minors will not stand trial on criminal court, they will face their charges on juvenile courts.

It is a court designated for minors or teenagers who have done some criminal acts like possession of drugs. The purpose of this court is to help bring back the minor to the right path by giving judgment and penalty that could benefit the welfare of the kid.

However, if the minor has an amazing juvenile court attorney, there are few things that he can do for the defendant. Here are the things that a lawyer can do for minors who are facing drug charges:

  • Custody at Home while waiting for the decision of the juvenile court.
  • Shorter Public Service (depending on criminal history and charges)
  • Shorter Rehabilitation Program

These things that were mentioned may not be good for some, but this is the best that a lawyer can do for a minor with illegal possession of drugs. It is not that much but it is still better without nothing. Like we said earlier, the court of law shows no partiality, and it only seeks justice.

Conclusion

Having a great lawyer is an advantage for any legal cases. But there are still limitations on what they can do for their clients. Therefore, to prevent any legal charges for your teenagers, help them have good friends that can lead them towards a good path.

What Types Of Personal Injuries Qualify For Filing A Lawsuit?

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Filing lawsuits is a fundamental right of every individual in almost any country. Every person has the right to file legal cases whenever they feel assaulted in any way. One of the common legal cases that people file are personal injury lawsuit. If you are not familiar with those lawsuits, we will help you to know the basics of that legal case and the qualifications needed for a person to file in court.

What is Personal Injury Lawsuit?

This kind of legal case is one of the most common lawsuits that people file in court. These cases are legal disputes that arise when an individual suffers physical damage or injury from another person that might be legally responsible for all the harm that person does to the injured individual.

The personal injury lawsuit protects the right of an individual to have good health. If a person experiences a physical injury done by another person, he or she can already file a lawsuit and demand charges and financial support for the medical bill and other expenses.

Qualifications to File the Lawsuit

As mentioned earlier, so many people are filing this kind of lawsuit to the court but sometimes it does not qualify to the basic requirements for it to be a personal injury lawsuit. So, what are the types of personal injuries that can qualify to be filed as a lawsuit?

The following are the common types of personal injuries that most courts in the world are accepting to be qualified as a legal case and be put into trial:

  • Moto Vehicle Accident
  • Medical Negligence
  • Wrongful or Unjust Death
  • Workplace Accident
  • Professional Malpractice (Nursing, Aviation, Maritime, etc.)
  • Food Poisoning

These types of injuries that were mentioned are the most common cases that courts usually accepts and be put on trial. However, in some cases, courts are still not accepting some of them because it lacks some supporting evidence that can prove the claim of the plaintiff or the person filing the case.

Conclusion

It is always important to consult an personal injury lawyer first before acting to file a lawsuit. Doing trials for a legal case is not easy. Therefore, it is very important to talk to the person involved with attorneys on both parties before doing a legal action. There is nothing that cannot be discuss in a good and kind manner.

But if you have experienced any traumatic physical injury or harm from another person, go to the nearest police station to report the incident. The authorities can give you a public defender if you do not have an attorney yourself.

What To Do When The Police Stop You For DUI

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For some unfortunate reason while driving home from a party, the police stop you for DUI. What should you do? In this article, we will discuss practical tips to know if the police pull you over because they are accusing you of driving under the influence.

What To Do When Cops Stops You

A lot of people start to panic when the police signal them to pull over. They do not know what to do or what to say, especially when the cops stop them for DUI. Today, we will give some practical tips that are recommended by legal experts on this kind of case.

Stay Calm and Relax

Whenever cops signal you to pull over, you should remain calm and relax. Pull your car on the side and be polite when talking to the police. Remember, these cops are already accusing you of driving under the influence and they are just looking for “probable cause” to arrest you right away.

Being calm and polite will give the police a hard time to find a probable cause to arrest you. Usually, people who are under the influence are aggressive and tends to talk back to the police in a bad manner.

Do Not Admit and Be Quiet

If the cops cannot find a probable cause to arrest you by how the way you act, they will start to ask questions. These police will probably ask you, “where have you been?” and “have you been drinking?” When you start hearing these questions, do not admit that you have been drinking.

People usually say to the police that they just drank two beers hoping that they will get away with it. However, it is not a good answer. If you say that you only drank 2 beers, you already gave the police a probable cause to arrest you. It is better just to be quiet and never admit anything.

Claim Your Rights

After remaining calm and being quiet, the cops will probably ask you to undergo some tests right away. If that happens, you should start claiming your right to be silent in a polite way and ask for an DUI attorney. Remember, anything that you say or do are being recorded by the police through their body cams.

Conclusion

These practical tips that were mentioned will probably help you when the cops started to pull you over. However, the best way to prevent this situation is to never drive when you attended a party with drinks. It is the safest way not just for the cops to stop you, but also to prevent any accidents.

Can “Normal” People Afford A Criminal Defense Attorney?

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Fighting legal charges is always a hassle for every individual. Not only because of the time you must spend attending the trials and arguments. The main reason why facing a legal case is a hassle for every person is because of the amount you must pay for a criminal defense attorney.

Can a “normal” person really afford an attorney? We all know that the rate of these legal representatives is extremely high. Not everyone can afford it especially if they just have a minimum wage income.

Therefore, it is almost impossible for a normal person to have an attorney if you do not have enough funds to support yourself. But you should not worry yet, because today, we will discuss how a normal person afford can to have an attorney in case they have a trial to attend.

How Can You Afford an Attorney?

If you have a legal case to attend and you do not have a criminal defense attorney because it is too expensive, what should you do? Thankfully, the law will not abandon you so easily. The law requires every state to give a person an attorney if they cannot afford one.

You must have heard this a lot of times when the police in movies are stating the “Miranda Rights” to the person they are arresting. An individual has always had the right to remain silent and wait for your legal representative to come. But if you do not have one, the court of law shall provide an attorney for you.

Aside from the attorneys that the court of law can give to a person, there are also other firms that offer free legal services to the normal people who really cannot afford to have an attorney. These offices are doing public service to the people for them to have a fighting chance with their legal cases.

Some examples of these free legal services are legal clinics, public law firms, and the “pro bono” attorneys. Legal offices who are doing this kind of service are sometimes required by the law to some countries. The court of law are requiring these attorneys to serve and conduct free legal services to the people in need of legal advice.

Conclusion

To answer our question on the earlier part of this article, a “normal” person can still afford to have a criminal defense attorney or whatever kind of legal representative that person need. It does not matter if you have money or not, the law is just and does not abandon anyone. Justice must always prevail.

The Difference Between Civil Law And Criminal Law

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There are so many legal cases that thecourts handle every single day, and they can be complicated to understand. Some lawsuits can be filed based on the civil law, while others are based in the criminal law. So, what are the differences between the two?

Three Key Differences of Criminal Law and Civil Law

Today, we will dive deeper into these laws and know their differences. We will look how they are distinct from each other and why it is important to know what kind of legal case we are facing in the court of law.

Legal Definition

Criminal law is a legal dispute that deals with criminal offenses of an individual or an organization. It is the body of law that gives out legal punishment to the crimes such as theft, assault, robbery, trafficking in controlled substances, murder, etc.

On the other hand, civil law is a type of legal dispute that deals between individuals or organization that has a disagreement with either property, damages, or even relational disputes. If the plaintiff wins the case, the defendant must compensate (financially) the victim for all the damages or harm done.

Burden of Proof

For criminal law, the burden of proof or the duty to find the admissible evidence is on the state or the government. The prosecutor must find facts that will make the defendant guilty without reasonable doubt and face the legal punishment that will be decided by the court of law.

As for the civil law, the burden of proof lies solely to the plaintiff and his or her legal representative. They must find evidence that can support their claim to the defendant.

Legal Penalties

As stated on the legal definitions of the two laws, the legal penalty for each law is also distinct from each other. The punishments for criminal laws are to be determined by the court of law if they found the defendant guilty beyond reasonable doubt. The defendant may face fines and imprisonment depending on the gravity of the case.

On the other hand, victims of civil law cases will be compensated if they won their case against the defendant. They can get paid of the amount they spent on hospital bills, school fees (for custody cases), and even the damages (physical or mental) dealt to the plaintiff. Of course, it will still all depend on the court of law and the gravity of the case.

Slip And Fall Accidents: When The Property Owner Is At Fault

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There are an enormous number of slip and fall accidents all year round, not just during snowy winter months. Most of those cases are being brought into court because people are seeking damages from property owners. But is there always someone at fault? Or maybe it is just a mere accident?

Today, we will look how people can prove that the property owner is at fault for their accident and recover damages under civil law. We will discuss what the plaintiff should provide to the court of law to prove the property owner guilty of the charge and receive compensation for their injuries.

Things Needed to Prove at The Court of Law

In every civil law case brought to the court of law, the plaintiff must be able to present enough evidence to prove their claim against the defendant. If there is not enough proof, the property owner cannot be held responsible for the slip and fall accidents that occurred on their property.

However, if you have the things needed that can prove the fault of the property owner at the court of law which we will discuss, you are free to file a case and brought it into trial.

Liability of Property Owners

If the plaintiff can give evidence to the court of law that the property owner has been neglecting to repair the premises that has dangerous or unsafe condition, the court of law may consider the case and put it on trial.

The property owner should have known what is best and must have repair it immediately upon knowing the condition. Delaying or avoiding repairs is a sign of negligence and it is already a probable cause of the incident.

Reasonable Alibi

The plaintiff should also be able to prove to the court of law that the alibis of the property owner are not reasonable. They should have enough evidence to counter the claim of the defendant who claims to have repaired the property before the accident happens.

If the plaintiff cannot give any proof for that, the defendant or the property owner will not be held responsible to the accident and will not give any compensation to the injury of the victim.

Conclusion

To help you prove that the property owner is at fault or guilty with the slip and fall accident, you should provide enough evidence. A great personal injury attorney is also a plus to help you win the case you have filed on the court of law. To prevent any type of accident, always be careful and watch every step you make.