Hillsville Legal Blog

Criminal defense strategies have to be personalized

On behalf of McGrady & McGrady, L.L.P. posted in criminal defense on Thursday, June 13, 2019.

Criminal defense matters must be carefully considered by the person who is facing the charges. When you are in this position, it is easy to become focused on the immediate consequences of each option. Take the time to consider the long-term impacts as well. Some cases, such as felonies, can affect you for the rest of your life. You don't want to have to deal with unnecessary impacts simply because you didn't take the time to think about what you are going to do.

We understand that you might not have any experience with the criminal justice system, and going through it for the first time is difficult. We are here to help you throughout the process. We want you to know what options you have so that you are able to determine the strategy that you feel the best using. Sometimes, there isn't an easy choice but thinking carefully about what can happen might help.

The impact of student loan debt on marriages

On behalf of McGrady & McGrady, L.L.P. posted in family law on Friday, May 31, 2019.

Whether you're in your 20s or your 50s, if you graduated from a private college and your parents didn't give you a significant amount of help with tuition and room and board, you likely have student loan debt. The average American with student loan debt owes more than $34,000. That's up 62% since a decade ago.

Student loan debt can impact people's ability to save for large purchases like a home and make them more likely to accept a job that pays well rather than take a risk on starting a new business. It can also impact people's marriages.

When would a 'split custody' arrangement be worth considering?

On behalf of McGrady & McGrady, L.L.P. posted in family law on Monday, May 13, 2019.

When parents divorce, there are a multitude of custody arrangements to choose from. Which one you choose will depend on your own unique family dynamics and -- most importantly -- what's best for your children.

One type of custody arrangement is what's called "split custody" or "divided custody." It's not a common choice, but in some circumstances, it's the best one.

Understanding dog body language can help you prevent being bitten

On behalf of McGrady & McGrady, L.L.P. on Tuesday, May 7, 2019.

Dogs are one of the most popular pets in the United States. However, any dog can bite, and many beloved canine pets do bite. Dog bites can cause damage to the skin, muscles, tendons, nerves or bones. Dog bites can also cause infections and spread diseases.

Being bitten by a dog can be a painful and traumatic experience, and it is probably one you wish to avoid. Understanding dog body language is one way you can do so. By understanding dog body language, you can more easily identify situations when you might be at risk of being bitten and may need to separate yourself from the dog.

People believe distracted driving is the number 1 risk

On behalf of McGrady & McGrady, L.L.P. posted in motor vehicle accidents on Friday, May 3, 2019.

For years, if you asked Americans about the number 1 safety threat on the highway, most would have told you that it was drunk driving. That outlook is part of the reason that drunk driving accidents have become less common each decade. People know the risks that it poses and they either refrain from it themselves or try to intervene with those who attempt to get behind the wheel while intoxicated.

Showing just how much things have changed, a recent study asked adult Americans -- those over 18 -- what they thought was the No. 1 threat. The majority of them, at 55%, picked distracted driving.

Virginia prosecutor moves to dismiss misdemeanor marijuana cases

On behalf of McGrady & McGrady, L.L.P. posted in criminal defense on Thursday, April 18, 2019.

As recreational marijuana increasingly becomes legal in states across the country, local prosecutors in states where it's still illegal are making the decision not to prosecute cases involving a minimal amount of the drug. Here in Virginia, Norfolk Commonwealth's Attorney announced in January that his office would stop prosecuting misdemeanor cases.

Now Portsmouth Commonwealth's Attorney Stephanie Morales is following suit. This month, her office began dismissing all pending cases. Defendants will still have to pay court costs, but they won't be prosecuted. With the support of local judges, Portsmouth prosecutors have begun dismissing all such pending cases. Defendants, however, will still have to pay court costs of about $165 each.

VA governor & lawmakers seek to strengthen distracted driving ban

On behalf of McGrady & McGrady, L.L.P. posted in motor vehicle accidents on Friday, March 29, 2019.

We recently wrote that cellphone use isn’t the only cause of distraction behind the wheel. Be that as it may, cellphones are still the most common – and perhaps the most dangerous – source of driver distraction in the U.S. Today. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, nine people die each day on U.S. roads due to accidents caused by distracted driving.

Here in Virginia, distracted driving accidents claimed the lives of 131 people in 2018 alone. While the Commonwealth already has laws against texting or emailing while driving, it is clear that this isn’t enough to save lives and significantly reduce driver distraction. That’s why Gov. Northam recently proposed legislation that would further limit cellphone use behind the wheel.

Why silence can be golden when facing arrest

On behalf of McGrady & McGrady, L.L.P. on Tuesday, February 26, 2019.

If you are in a confrontation with law enforcement, it can be tempting to explain your side of things. To give them details that will let them see things from your perspective.

Maybe then they will understand the situation. Unfortunately, many people find out later that confiding in law enforcement is almost always a bad idea.

Not driving distracted doesn’t just mean putting down the phone

On behalf of McGrady & McGrady, L.L.P. on Tuesday, February 12, 2019.

When you think of a distracted driver, you probably imagine someone with their eyes on the phone in their hand instead of the road in front of them.

That’s with good reason, distracted driving behaviors have climbed alongside cellphone use. However, it’s not the only way for drivers to lose their focus on the road.