Criminal Law

Know Your Rights: A Quick Reference Guide from a Porter County Criminal Defense Attorney

August 4, 2014 by: Chris Buckley

Hopefully, you never have to deal with law enforcement throughout your entire life. Most people don’t. Well, at least, as the subject of an criminal investigation.  But chances are, at some point at some time in your life, you will be approached by an officer of law enforcement, if for no other reason, for a … Continue reading Know Your Rights: A Quick Reference Guide from a Porter County Criminal Defense Attorney

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Does Searching Your Facebook Require a Search Warrant?

July 16, 2014 by: Chris Buckley

You might think that the information that you post on Facebook is private. You might think that the information that you post on Facebook is public. But if you think that the information you post on Facebook is somewhere in between, it turns out that you are correct. Some information can be obtained and used … Continue reading Does Searching Your Facebook Require a Search Warrant?

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Lake and Porter County Criminal Defense Attorneys: Changes Regarding ‘Theft’ in Indiana

July 1, 2014 by: Chris Buckley

On July 1, 2014, a series of sweeping changes made by the Indiana General Assembly will take effect.  One particular change that is likely to have a dramatic impact in Lake County Criminal Defense and Porter County Criminal Defense is a new classification within the previous “Theft” category; the new law will provide for “Petty … Continue reading Lake and Porter County Criminal Defense Attorneys: Changes Regarding ‘Theft’ in Indiana

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Do Traffic Ticket Quotas Exist in Lake or Porter County, Indiana?

June 17, 2014 by: Chris Buckley

For a long time as a Lake and Porter County traffic ticket attorney, I have wondered whether traffic ticket quotas are a myth or reality.  The common knowledge among people has always been that police regularly employ traffic ticket quotas and that their promotions are solely based on the number of Lake County traffic tickets  or … Continue reading Do Traffic Ticket Quotas Exist in Lake or Porter County, Indiana?

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Criminal Defense Attorneys Beware: Prosecutorial Misconduct Does Not Require Reversal

June 16, 2014 by: Chris Buckley

The Indiana Court of Appeals wrote one (1) and the Indiana Supreme Court wrote two (2) criminal decisions for publication this week:  (See also, Indiana Lawyer articles here: Justices Question Prosecutor’s Tactics, but Decline to Award New Trial, Prosecutor’s ‘Continual Misconduct’ Warrants New Molestation Trial, Prosecutor’s Lack of Objection Allows Judge to Modify Sentence) Bruce Ryan v. State of … Continue reading Criminal Defense Attorneys Beware: Prosecutorial Misconduct Does Not Require Reversal

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Criminal Defendant’s Fifth Amendment Right Violated – Does Not Require Reversal?

May 26, 2014 by: Chris Buckley

In a shocking decision by the Indiana Court of Appeals last week, Judge Riley wrote a decision for the three (3) member panel: State of Indiana v. Thomas (Ind. App. 2014) In the above Case, the Criminal Defendant was charged with four (4) counts of Criminal Deviate Conduct as a Class B Felony, and one … Continue reading Criminal Defendant’s Fifth Amendment Right Violated – Does Not Require Reversal?

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Indiana Courts Throw Out Conviction Due to Officer’s Unlawful Entry

March 7, 2014 by: Chris Buckley

In a recent decision,  Harper v. State of Indiana, 49A04-1305-CR-222 (Ind. App. 2014), the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed Harper’s conviction for Resisting Law Enforcement as a Class A Misdemeanor. The facts were as follows: Mrs. Harper was inside her home when officers arrived after being called to a domestic dispute.  Mrs. Harper, at that … Continue reading Indiana Courts Throw Out Conviction Due to Officer’s Unlawful Entry

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Do Not Pay Traffic Tickets in Indiana Without Reading This First!

February 26, 2014 by: Chris Buckley

I was speaking recently with litigants outside of a local courtroom while waiting for a trial, and I happened to overhear a few of them talking about just paying traffic infractions.  I could not believe that individual traffic defendants did not know that there are other options besides paying traffic tickets and incurring points on their … Continue reading Do Not Pay Traffic Tickets in Indiana Without Reading This First!

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Indiana Record Sealing, Felony Reduction & Expungement

November 22, 2013 by: Chris Buckley

As a follow up to our Firm’s previous articles regarding the Indiana Second Chance Act for the Expungement of Criminal Records, Sealing of Arrest Records, Reduction of Felony to Misdemeanor, and Expungement of Juvenile Adjudication Records; SFT Lawyers wanted to provide the basic requirements to help the public in determining whether or not they might … Continue reading Indiana Record Sealing, Felony Reduction & Expungement

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Indiana Courts Weigh In on Searches and Seizures

November 1, 2013 by: Chris Buckley

In three (3) recent cases, the Indiana Supreme Court and the Indiana Court of Appeals have added to the well established common law regarding Fourth Amendment Rights–in other words, which searches and seizures are permissible and which are not. Most notably, in Clark v. State of Indiana, 994 N.E.2d 252 (Ind. 2013), the Indiana Supreme … Continue reading Indiana Courts Weigh In on Searches and Seizures

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