Lebanon Legal Issues Blog

When an officer pulls you over for allegedly driving under the influence of alcohol, it can be stressful and somewhat frightening. In that moment, you may not know what your options are. Do you have to comply with an officer's demands? Do you have to submit to a breath test? The answers to these questions may surprise you.

Complying with an officer's demands during a traffic stop is something that seems non-negotiable. It is true, to a point. You do still have rights, though. For instance, you do have the right to refuse sobriety testing, in any of its forms. Just know that there may be consequences for doing so.

 A young person who is charged with drunk driving can feel like his or her life is coming to an end. When the accident that led to the charge involves the death of another person, one's life can quickly become a nightmare. A young man from Tennessee was involved in such an accident when he was 18. The young woman who was killed was a passenger in his car. The man who had been driving was recently sentenced in a case that included charges of DUI.

The accident happened in May of 2018 when the driver and three friends were in a car driving near Tyler. According to the investigation, the man who was driving attempted to make a turn and lost control of his car. The car became airborne and crashed into a tree. The driver and two of the passengers were transported to an area hospital. The other passenger, a 17-year-old female, was pronounced dead at the scene.

In recent years, it seems as if fentanyl has been gaining more popularity among news stories. Still, many people may not fully understand what fentanyl is or why it is cause for such concern, especially when related to drug crimes. If authorities accuse you of illegally possessing or selling this substance, you may find yourself more than interested in all the commotion.

Fentanyl itself is a synthetic opioid intended for pain relief. It has similar properties to morphine, but fentanyl is 50 to 100 times more potent than morphine, which also makes it more dangerous when in the wrong hands. As a result, authorities in Tennessee and across the country have been trying to crack down on illegal use of the substance. Unfortunately for you, that could mean having criminal charges brought against you.

Making the decision to divorce in Tennessee can take an emotional toll on a person and be the beginning of a difficult period in one's life. If a job loss is added to that upheaval, it can make an already complicated, and possibly contentious, divorce process seem that much worse. What are some steps that can be taken to lessen the impact?

Some questions that might arise include wondering how the court will react to the news, how it will impact negotiations and what action one should take. Much of this depends on the circumstances of the job loss. If the loss was a result of a downsizing or reorganization, one cannot be held to blame for the loss. However, if the loss was a result of one's own behavior or actions, the court may not look favorably on the situation.