Criminal Defense

Unless you have attended self-defense training, it is hard to predict how you will react when facing a threat. When someone brandishes a weapon, hits you or verbally threatens you, you may freeze. Some people's first response is to try to leave the situation, while...

In some ways, South Dakota has very loose gun laws. For instance, you don’t need to have a permit in order to buy a gun from another person. You also don’t have to go through a background check or even register the firearm. Other states will require all of this for...

A protective order or protection order in South Dakota is the same thing as what people refer to as a restraining order in other states. Someone who has experienced domestic violence, intimate abuse or stalking can ask the courts to grant them a protective order. This...

Your Miranda rights include two of the most valuable protections when in the custody of law enforcement agents. Your right to remain silent helps protect you from aggressive interrogation efforts. When you don't speak, you don't have to worry about falling victim to...

There has been a recent spate of crime in your area. Multiple burglaries and armed robberies have occurred in recent months, and you’re concerned for the safety of your family. You’ve decided to purchase a firearm just in case you ever need to protect yourself. The...

In South Dakota, all citizens are expected to adhere to both state and federal laws. This included police officers. While police officers have a difficult job in enforcing the law, they are not allowed to act inappropriately in the course of their duties. This is...

If you’ve been arrested and later charged with a criminal offense, this means the prosecution has some evidence against you. Some might think this makes the case a slam dunk, but that simply isn’t true. There is a reason why trials take place. This allows the jury to...

You may know that a good defense to accusations of domestic violence or assault is to show that you were the victim and had to defend yourself. That being said, there is a point at which your defense will be considered violence or assault, too, if you go too far. The...

You’re minding your own business, when all of a sudden, a South Dakota police officer approaches you. They claim that you match the description of someone who has recently committed a criminal offense in the area. Of course, you know this is untrue, and you can prove...

Evidence for a criminal case can come from many different places. Witnesses could describe an individual, helping police officers narrow their search. There could be forensic evidence, such as fingerprints or blood that helps the police or prosecutors identify a...