Questions About Your Rights?

Success Stories

Open Carry in Virginia

I have a sort of routine walk that I use to advocate open carry. I know where the school zones are. I know where the government offices are. And so my route is quite safe from any zone that could get me into serous trouble if I choose to carry a firearm. … Continued

Success Stories

Ford Ranchero with Weed in the Seat

The next day when removing the old bench seat I found a paper shopping bag stuffed up under the seat. In it contained about 2-3 pounds of weed. Had a police officer found it during a consented search I’m sure the courts would not care how old it was. … Continued

FAQs

When can police use drug dogs?

In Illinois v. Caballes, the Supreme Court ruled that police do not need reasonable suspicion to use drug dogs to sniff a vehicle during a legitimate traffic stop. This decision stems from the case of Roy Caballes, who was pulled over for speeding and subsequently arrested for marijuana trafficking after a drug dog was brought […]

Blog

Keep Calm: We’ve Redesigned Our Website

I admit it: You might not like our new website. (In fact, you might hate it.) That’s okay. I understand that it might look a bit odd at first. I should probably have taken one rich with backlinks from SpamZilla, but I wanted to try a little bit of my own magic. But for all […]

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10 Years of Flexing Hard: A Retrospective

My fiancée was out of town last Saturday, so I hung out at a bar with Scott Morgan. We reminisced about our amazing 10-year partnership. (In fact, Scott will be the best man at my wedding next spring!) When we met, I was a 25-year-old trying my darndest to look like an earnest khaki-clad non-profit […]

FAQs

What if police say they smell marijuana?

If police say they smell marijuana, you’re in a tough situation. Courts have ruled that the odor of contraband gives officers probable cause to perform a search. For this reason, police are quick to claim that they smell something and sometimes they might even lie about it. … Continued

police detention

FAQs

How long can police detain you?

That depends. The answer is as long as it reasonably takes police to conduct the investigation. For example, if you’ve been stopped for speeding, police can technically only detain you long enough to check your paperwork and write you a speeding ticket. … Continued

FAQs

Don’t police have to read me my rights?

If you’re arrested, don’t rely on police to inform you of your right to remain silent and see a lawyer. Use the magic words “I’m going to remain silent. I would like to see a lawyer.” If police persist in questioning you, repeat the magic words. The magic words are like a legal condom. They’re your best protection if you’re under arrest. … Continued

FAQs

Can someone else consent to a search of my property?

As a general rule, police can obtain consent to search from anyone with control over the property. Someone who has a key, or whose name appears on the lease, can legally consent to a search of the property if no one else is present, or if no one else objects. If you rent the property, be advised that your landlord can also let the police in. … Continued

FAQs

Police at my door: what should I do?

In other instances, an officer might want to investigate activities taking place in your home and ask to enter. You might even be a suspect in a criminal investigation. In such a case you should remain silent — except to say “Officer, I can’t let you inside without a search warrant.” Following such an encounter, you should immediately contact a lawyer before speaking to police again. … Continued