October 26, 2026 | Alabama Law
Under Alabama Code § 13A-12-212, it is against the law to possess a controlled substance from Schedules I through V unless you have a valid prescription or other legal authorization. The statute also criminalizes obtaining these substances through fraud or false representation, such as forged prescriptions or giving a false name. Unlawful possession is treated […]
Read moreOctober 23, 2026 | Criminal Law
Parole in Alabama allows eligible defendants to serve part of their sentence outside of prison, living under supervision in the community. Granting parole is not automatic, and it doesn’t erase the conviction or the sentence a person was given. The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles makes decisions about parole using a discretionary process and […]
Read moreOctober 22, 2026 | Attorney Insights
One of the first things I have to figure out in some criminal cases is not simply what happened, but what my client intended to happen. Those can be two very different questions. Something terrible can happen because someone intended for it to happen. It can also happen because somebody acted recklessly, was negligent, made […]
Read moreOctober 14, 2026 | Attorney Insights
Television crime shows have created a powerful impression about forensic evidence: a laboratory runs a test, a scientist announces the result, and the case is solved. Real criminal cases are rarely that simple. DNA, toxicology, fingerprints, firearms examinations, digital evidence, and other forensic testing can be extremely important. But the word “scientific” does not mean […]
Read moreOctober 5, 2026 | Attorney Insights
Federal sentencing is not just about the hearing date. The Sentencing Guidelines, Presentence Investigation Report, mitigation evidence, and written advocacy can all shape the final result When someone is facing federal sentencing, it is easy to focus on one thing: sentencing day. But much of the work that can affect a federal sentence happens weeks […]
Read moreOctober 3, 2026 | Attorney Insights
Jury selection is not about finding jurors who “like” the defendant. It is about identifying people who can follow the law, keep an open mind, and hold the prosecution to its burden of proof. If you have never been through a criminal trial, you may picture jury selection the way it appears on television: lawyers […]
Read moreSeptember 25, 2026 | Attorney Insights
When I receive discovery in a criminal case, the police report is important, but I don’t treat it as the final word on what happened. A police report is written from the perspective of the investigation. In my experience, information that supports the government’s theory tends to make its way into that report. Information that […]
Read moreSeptember 21, 2026 | Attorney Insights
When I first get a criminal case, much of what I receive is about one particular event. The police report tells me what allegedly happened. Witness statements tell me what people say they saw. Videos may show part or all of the incident. Eventually, I need to understand all of that evidence because I can’t […]
Read moreSeptember 18, 2026 | Criminal Defense
Alabama law prohibits firearm possession for people who fall into specific categories, and the list is more nuanced than many people assume. Under current Alabama law, the prohibited categories include certain defendants who have been convicted of any felony within the previous five years, have three or more felony convictions arising from separate charges, have […]
Read moreSeptember 11, 2026 | Attorney Insights
One of the hardest parts of being a criminal defense lawyer is helping someone make a decision when there may not be a clearly right answer. I can review the discovery, investigate the case, talk to witnesses, evaluate the law and give my client my opinion about what I think he should do. Sometimes I […]
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