Lebanon Legal Issues Blog

Child sexual abuse has been prominent in the news recently. The Catholic church and the Boy Scouts have both been impacted by sex abuse incidents. A bill that recently passed in the Tennessee legislature seeks to make changes to how some sexual abuse cases can be prosecuted. One of the major proposed changes concerns the statute of limitations around sex.

The statute of limitations refers to the amount of time that can pass between an incident occurring and the incident and charges being filed. The proposed legislation would increase the length of time allowed under the statute of limitations in almost all incidents of sexual abuse. This is particularly true where a juvenile is the perceived victim.

It is common knowledge that drinking and driving don't mix. Some people may be unaware of how one or two drinks can impact their ability to safely drive a car. If pulled over, one may be accused of drunk driving, known as DUI. There are also people who habitually drive after having had more than one or two drinks. It may be that these are the people who are the target of legislation recently introduced in the Tennessee legislature.

In a recent news story, it was reported that a person who had been convicted of drunk driving and of killing three people as a result was released from prison. Following his release, he was again convicted of DUI but received a light sentence. This was because the existing law doesn't allow incidents that occurred 10 or more years ago to be considered by the courts in subsequent arrests. The proposed legislation would eliminate what is known as a lookback loophole.

Dating can be a tricky business. A person meets someone, a connection is made, a date is scheduled and as the relationship develops, it is inevitable that a person's imperfections will appear. It is in the nature of being human that people are not perfect. What is not inevitable in Tennessee is how a person may choose to react to the other's imperfections. Some reactions may result in the need for a criminal defense.

A man was recently arrested and charged with domestic assault. Officers responded to a call for a domestic dispute. Upon arriving at the house the alleged assailant was no longer there, but the woman claimed they had been arguing about her partner's drug and alcohol problem when he allegedly began assaulting her. Reportedly, her boyfriend called her on the phone while the officers were there, and they described his speech as being slurred and that he sounded drunk.

It is widely accepted that drinking and driving do not mix. Regardless of how well it is known and accepted, drunk driving accidents remain a problem that has not been solved. A Tennessee legislator is making an effort to reduce the number of DUI incidents in the state.

A bill, Senate Bill 683, is being considered in the state senate. The bill would require stiffer penalties for repeat DUI offenses. The current law for a repeat offense mandates a 45 day jail term unless a judge orders participation in a substance abuse program, which would reduce jail time to 25 days. The bill being considered would increase the minimum sentence for a repeat offense to 11 months and 29 days.