Pretty much everyone has seen mugshots used outside of a police station. It only takes a trip to the gas station or grocery store to see a tabloid with a less-than-glamorous photo of a celebrity at their lowest on the front of a tabloid. Mugshots capture the moment of arrest, but they don’t go away after the fact. Just like the dejected celebrity mugshots, anyone who has been arrested has a mugshot that may come back to haunt them.
College students: Don't make these mistakes on spring break
College students look forward to spring break all year. It is a time to unwind from the stress and demands of school and it gives people the rest they need to make it through the end of the school year.
That being said, it is also a time when destinations are flooded with students who might be unfamiliar with the area and drinking, using drugs and engaging in sexual activity. This can be a recipe for disaster and many students wind up arrested and facing criminal charges during spring break. If you are a student, then you should avoid the following mistakes on spring break, whether you stay here in Virginia or head elsewhere.
How damaging is an underage DUI charge?
When your loved one has made the mistake of drinking while driving, especially as a minor, you can be in for a difficult legal ordeal. Ronald E. Smith, PC, is here to ensure that you get the criminal defense you deserve, since minors facing DUI-related charges can be in for some hefty penalties if convicted.
As you likely are aware, juvenile DUI-related crimes and charges are taken very seriously regardless of where you live. They also come with more severe penalties than DUI-related charges tied to those of legal drinking age. In many states, a minor who is caught drinking and driving can actually have their license suspended even if it is their first offense.
Man accused of multiple sex crimes
It may feel to people in Virginia that virtually every day lately there are new reports made detailing allegations of some form of sexual misconduct made against different men. Many of these allegations involve very famous persons in the entertaininment or media industries. Other such cases, however, involve individuals not in such high-profile or public professions.
A Virginia man is today in custody without bail after being arrested for and charged with multiple sex crimes. Public reports thus far have provided very few details of the case which make it very difficult for the defendant to look anything other than guilty to those who get only the few nuggets thus far provided. What is known is that the man was a physician and worked at a pain management clinic in Albermarle.
Differences between SSD and SSI
People in Virginia who experience a disability or blindness that results in their inability to work and earn a living need to understand their options for financial assistance. Worker's compensation benefits may be available in some situations such as if a disability is related to an accident that happened at work. However, when these benefits are not options, people might be able to qualify for Social Security Disability Insurance program benefits and possibly even benefits under the Supplemental Security Income program.
As explained by the Social Security Administration, both of these programs are designed to help people who are blind or disabled. The Supplemental Security Income program also provides benefits to people who are elderly and meet the requirements. However, there are important differences between them. Some people may qualify for benefits under both programs simultaneously but it is also highly possible that they meet the criteria for one program only.
Is the walking field sobriety test accurate?
Virginia has clear laws on drunk driving and what may lead to a person being charged with an impaired driving offense. However, it is important for you to know that even with laws in place, there are still potential problems associated with the field sobriety tests often used as part of a drunk driving investigation and arrest.
According to FieldSobrietyTests.org, none of the three standardized roadside tests administered before a person may be arrested for impaired driving are fully accurate in all cases. One of these tests, the walk and turn test, has a stated accuracy rate of only 66 percent. Multiple things could contribute to this test not returning fully accurate results.
Do you qualify for Social Security disability benefits?
It's not inconceivable to think that at some point in your life, you may need a little bit of financial help. Social Security disability benefits, for example, can do a lot to help workers in Virginia like you who are at a disadvantage. But do you qualify for those benefits?
As stated by Social Security itself, you need to meet several qualifications before you're considered eligible for Social Security disability benefits. First of all, your condition will need to fit Social Security's specific criteria for a disability. This include:
- Being unable to adjust to different types of work because of the disability
- Being unable to continue your current line of work because of the disability
- Having a disability that has lasted, or is expected to last, a year or more
- Having a disability that is expected to result in death
Key factors of Social Security disability
When individuals suffer from a disability, whether temporarily or permanently, their survival may depend on receiving necessary financial assistance. Submitting a claim for Social Security disability may help their case for receiving such aid.
Virginia's age of consent
Many people in Virginia may not be aware of the laws in the state that govern when a person may legally agree to participate in sexual behavior. These laws are not always black-and-white insofar as there is not only age that applies in all cases. Instead, as Age of Consent explains, the age at which a person may consent to sexual activity depends in part on the age of the other person involved in the activity.
There are multiple offenses for sex crimes involving minors in Virginia. Some of these offenses are graded as misdemeanors and others are graded as felonies. As a general rule, a person in Virginia is not able to legally consent to sexual activity until they are a legal adult and have reached 18 years old. However, there are exceptions for people between 13 and 17 years old. This is because of a clause referred to as the Romeo and Juliet law or the close-in-age exemption.
What are the consequences for breaking curfew?
When you're under the age of 18 in Virginia, you'll have a few different sources of potential curfews to deal with. Unfortunately, breaking those curfews can result in some serious penalties, even if it might not seem like it's a big deal.
First of all, in some areas of the state there is a hard curfew for minors under 17. If you're this age or younger, you're legally disallowed from being outside between the hours of 11 P.M. and 5 A.M., barring extenuating circumstances like medical emergencies. The most well-known curfew is a state-wide one, however. It's defined by the Virginia Department of Motorized Vehicles as a curfew restriction for underage drivers.
