Friday, June 27, 2014

Country Stampede in Riley and Pottawatomie County


Country Stampede 2014 is upon us.  It's a time for country music and usually a lot of alcohol consumption.  As such it's one of the busiest times of year for the RCPD and local law enforcement. During Country Stampede, officers from the Kansas Highway Patrol also help enforcement.  Many Minor in Consumption and Minor in Possession tickets will be issued.  

As a minor, trying to avoid situations where you may be caught with alcohol in your hand whether the container is open or closed.  This could include coolers of beer.  Minor in Possession (MIP) and Minor in Consumption (MIC) is a great way to ruin your Country Stampede experience. Don't forget, you have the right to remain silent, so before you say anything to incriminate yourself, tell them you will only be speaking to your attorney. 

DUI charges are another frequent incident at Country Stampede.   In the State of Kansas, to be convicted of Driving Under the Influence citation or a D.U.I., an individual must have a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) level above a 0.08 or be under the influence to a degree that renders you unable to safely operate a vehicle.  For many people that can be one or two standard size drinks over the span of a couple hours! Before the celebrating begins, designate a sober driver or agree on taking a taxi because being charged with a D.U.I. can dramatically change your life. After receiving a D.U.I., you only have 14 days to request a driver’s license hearing to preserve your driving privileges. it's best to immediately contact an experienced DUI attorney in Manhattan, Kansas to begin the process of defending you. 

Legal trouble can have harsh consequences that will affect your future. It is important to know you rights and plan ahead! However, if you do find yourself in need of a lawyer, you should contact a knowledgeable Riley and Pottawatomie County attorney to assist with your legal needs.

Wednesday, June 25, 2014

Eligible for an Expungement in Kansas?


Do you have a past criminal history? Are you wanting to start fresh by removing criminal charges and convictions from your criminal background? An expungement can remove some charges and convictions but not all of them are equal and it is helpful to know what can be expunged, how long you have to wait to expunge them, and what it costs to get them expunged.

If you have completed your sentence or have been discharged from probation, community corrections, parole, or post release supervision, you may be eligible for an expungement.  The severity level of the crime determines the waiting period and can be summarized as follows:

After three years these convictions could be wiped off your record: traffic infractions, cigarette or tobacco infraction, misdemeanor or a class D or E felony. (prior to 1993).
After July 1, 1993 nondrug crimes, severity level 6-10, and felony crimes with a severity level 4 may also be expunged.

After five years some of the following convictions could be removed from your record: felonies class A, B, or C (prior to 1993); or crimes after July 1, 1993 such as, a non drug crime, severity level 1-5 or any felonies with a severity level 1-3 on the drug grid. Other crimes that are allowed to be expunged include vehicular homicide, driving with a invalid license, perjury, using false information, failure to stop at the scene of an accident, and driving without insurance.

But this does not come with out a price, an expungement for one case at the Riley County Court House has a filing fee of $119.00 and at the Manhattan Municipal court it is $60.00. Filing for an expungement of your records does not guarantee that you will receive the expungement.

This is not a complete list, knowing what can and can’t be expunged and the process to receive one can be confusing, especially if there are multiple cases. In order to ensure your speedy expungement, contact a Kansas expungement attorney for a free phone consultation today.

This is not legal advice and should not be taken as such.  This is for informational purposes and does not create an attorney/client relationship. Every case is different and if you want an attorney with Kansas expungement experience contact an expungement attorney in your area.