What if the victim wants to drop the charges, but the prosecutor won’t do it? Consider the following scenario: the defendant seriously injured his spouse by punching, kicking, or choking her. The spouse or someone she knows (family, friends, neighbors, etc.) has reported the incident to the police. The cops show up and begin gathering evidence in preparation for a...
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Sentencing guidelines are rules for deciding the appropriate sentence for anyone who has been convicted of a crime in federal court, depending on the nature of the crime and the offender’s criminal background. In simple terms, it is the collection of rules and standards that a trial court judge uses to determine the appropriate punishment for a criminal who has...
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If you’ve found yourself in the middle of a criminal case and have been struggling to understand some of the terms used throughout the process, don’t feel alone. Times like these can be confusing, frustrating, and down right scary. If you’re facing jail time the fear you’re feeling can be overwhelming. Part of the sentencing process for criminal cases can...
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Whenever a person finds themself in need of an attorney things can feel scary. You don’t know what to expect. For many of our clients in criminal cases there’s a fear of jail time and the stigma of having a criminal case on their record. There’s also the fear of whether a public defender will meet your needs. The truth...
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One of the most common questions clients ask us is how they should dress for court. First and foremost, how you dress is important. When you enter the court room your appearance should be as clean and put together as possible so you give the best first impression. This isn’t about you being comfortable (sorry!), it’s about you giving the...
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If there’s  one thing about law that’s important to understand, it’s that relationships are everything. Clients often come to us wondering if having a relationship with the prosecutor is a good idea or if there’s a conflict of interest. Read on to see what we think. First, it’s important to understand what a conflict of interest is in the legal...
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On August 21, 2019 Larry Swearingen was executed by the Texas Department of Justice in Huntsville, Texas. Swearingen was convicted of the 1998 murder of 19-year-old Melissa Trotter and sentenced to death in 2000. Despite his relentless claims of innocence and at least 5 defense experts who testified that Swearingen couldn’t have been the killer because he was in jail on...
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Big Changes In NH Annulment Law The “Live Free or Die State” continues to slowly trudge behind the other New England States and Canada when it comes to sensible marijuana policy. Attorneys Cohen and Winters have been involved in this movement for many years and we are happy to report that on January 1, 2020 our State will take another...
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What is an “annulment?” I want to talk to you briefly about annulments here in New Hampshire. In many states people call it an “expungement,” but here in New Hampshire it’s called an “annulment.” Filing a petition for annulment is the way to ask a court to essentially seal a record of a conviction, or an arrest. What crimes can...
Read More 🡒People often ask, what evidence is allowed in court? Witnesses can generally testify about what they personally saw or heard. When it comes to their opinions, however, the rules are very strict. A recent New Hampshire Supreme Court decision illustrates this point well. Mother as a Witness The prosecutor charged the defendant, Richard Waite, with multiple counts of sexually abusing...
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