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The purpose of a preliminary hearing is for a magistrate court judge to determine whether there is sufficient probable cause to support the warrant against the defendant. The State has the burden of proving that there was, in fact, probable cause for the arrest of the defendant. Typically, evidence is presented through a witness (usually the arresting officer or case detective) regarding the… read more →

As with stories, there are two sides to arrest warrants: the side of the person or institute seeking the warrant and the side of the person who is going to be arrested. Arrest warrants are issued by magistrate court judges after probable cause has been shown that a crime was committed. Many arrests happen without a warrant being obtained first.… read more →

According to the Drug Policy Alliance, 1.55 million people in the United States were arrested on non-violent drug charges in 2012. This country spends over $51 billion dollars annually in its so-called war on drugs. With the recent increase in opioid addiction along with the usual suspects in the drug arena (cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana) it’s not surprising that… read more →

According to recent records, over 12 million people were arrested in the United States in 2011; that equals one out of every 25 people. It’s easy to think ‘that can’t happen to me’ but the reality is that it could happen to anyone. During my years of practice I’ve seen many people who fit the bill as law-abiding, upstanding citizens… read more →