Nashville Criminal Attorney Blog

Introduction You’re driving down the road when those flashing blue lights appear behind you. As you pull over, you remember your firearm is securely tucked away in the glove box, the center console, or holstered on your hip. Your heart starts pounding—not because you’re doing anything illegal, but because you aren’t sure what the rules…

Introduction You’re pulled over or detained, and during the encounter, an officer notices your smartphone sitting in the cupholder. They pick it up, look at you, and say, “Mind if I take a quick look through your phone to clear some things up?” Our cell phones hold our entire lives—text messages, photos, private emails, banking…

Introduction For years, drivers pulled over under suspicion of a DUI in Tennessee had a strategic choice. If an officer asked for a blood sample, you could refuse. Sure, you would violate the “Implied Consent” law and lose your license for a year, but it kept the ultimate piece of evidence—your actual blood alcohol level—out…

Introduction It is a phone call that every parent dreads. Your child was cornered by an officer at school, on the street, or at a friend’s house, and questioned about a crime. Your immediate reaction is total outrage: “How can they talk to my underage kid without calling me first? Isn’t that illegal?” Most parents…

Introduction Most people believe that if a police officer asks you a direct question, they are required to tell you the truth in return. We expect the law to play by a certain set of rules. But when it comes to a criminal investigation, that expectation will get you sent straight to jail. In Tennessee,…

Introduction You see the flashing blue lights in your rearview mirror. Your heart drops. After a few standard questions, the officer asks you to step out of the car and says, “I need you to blow into this tube.” Panic sets in. If you refuse, do you automatically lose your license? If you agree, are…

Introduction You’re sitting in the passenger seat, minding your own business, when your friend gets pulled over by the police. The officer walks up, asks the driver for their license, and then suddenly turns to you and says, “Can I see your ID too?” Your mind starts racing. You weren’t the one speeding. You weren’t…

Introduction When someone you love is getting pulled over, questioned, or arrested, your natural instinct is to step in and protect them. You want to explain things to the officer, film what’s happening, or tell your friend to stop talking. But there is a razor-thin legal line between exercising your constitutional rights and committing a…

Introduction It’s a situation that instantly makes your heart race: a loud knock on your front door, and a voice shouting, “Police! Open up!” Do you have to open the door? Do you have to let them inside? Most people open the door out of fear or confusion—and that one mistake can completely strip away…

Introduction You’re walking down the street with a backpack. A police officer stops you and asks: “Mind if I look inside your bag?” Or maybe you’re a passenger in a car, and your backpack is sitting on the back seat. Can the police search it? The answer depends on one word that comes up over…