B &B

  Ping or egging a classmate’s house. Hazing the incoming freshmen. Pulling a fire alarm at school. Stealing a small item from the drug store on a dare. These are all common youthful pranks, and some readers may even remember in engaging in similar conduct themselves in years past. It’s important to understand, however, that many pranks that we cast aside as “kids just being kids” can actually result in criminal liability. In addition, in some cases, a conviction for a prank-related crime can affect a person’s life for years to come, and long after any sentence imposed by the court has come to an end. THE COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES OF A CRIMINAL CONVICTION While it is true that most juvenile records are sealed when a person turns 18, this is not always the case. In addition, if you were 18 or older at the time of your conviction, your “youthful indiscretion” will almost certainly result in a criminal record. Collateral consequences are consequences that you can experience because of y...

  If you have recently been charged with drunk driving and talked to others about the issue, you may have been told that it’s not   that   big of a deal, particularly if it’s your first time. While it is true that the standard outcome of a simple DUI case in which there are no aggravating factors typically does not involve jail time, it’s important to understand that   every   DUI is a serious matter, and the collateral consequences of a DUI conviction can often be much more damaging than the sentence imposed by the judge. WHAT ARE COLLATERAL CONSEQUENCES? Collateral consequences are the consequences you can experience as a result of a criminal conviction that are not directly imposed by the court. Importantly, these kinds of consequences can arise years or even decades after your court-imposed sentence has come to an end. Importantly, the existence of these kinds of consequences can change the calculus when it comes to accepting a plea bargain. For most people,...

  People are injured in car accidents on a daily basis in St. Louis and the surrounding areas. In fact, according to statistics compiled by the Missouri State Highway Patrol, there were nearly 40,000 injury-causing accidents in 2017 – or more than 100 each day. In many cases, people who sustain injuries in car crashes are legally entitled to compensation for their accident-related losses, such as their medical expenses, repair bills, pain and suffering, and lost income. However, there are certain things that accident victims need to do to protect their rights and get the compensation they deserve. Four of the most important steps to take after a crash are detailed below. SEEK MEDICAL ATTENTION You should always seek medical attention after a crash, even if you think that your injuries will get better on their own. It’s critical that an official medical record of your injuries is developed so that you are able to establish them for any insurance claim that you will be making in the ...

Life can get hectic, and people miss appointments every day. Not surprisingly, many people wonder whether missing a court date is a serious matter – particularly when the court date was for a relatively minor offense, like a speeding ticket. The fact is that missing a court date is  always  a serious matter, regardless of the severity of the underlying offense that resulted in the court date in the first place. A MISSED COURT DATE CAN RESULT IN A WARRANT FOR YOUR ARREST If you miss a court date, the judge presiding over your case will likely issue a bench warrant for your arrest. This means that the police can arrest you at any moment, and likely will in the event that you have contact with them. For example, if you get pulled over for rolling a stop sign on your way to work and have a bench warrant, there is a good chance that you’ll be spending the rest of your work day in a jail cell. Imagine explaining that one to your boss! A MISSED COURT DATE CAN RESULT IN ADDITIONAL CRI...