Kansas City Criminal Defense Blog

Know your Miranda rights if you are arrested

On behalf of Richard T. Bryant & Associates, P.C. on Friday, September 6, 2019.

Anyone who has seen a TV crime drama is well-acquainted with the Miranda warning that officers are supposed to read to criminal suspects. Miranda rights are firmly part of the Fifth and Sixth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution. However, do you know why they were created?

The rights were established in the 1966 Supreme Court case Miranda v. Arizona after the arrest of Ernesto Miranda, who was accused of stealing $8 from an Arizona bank employee. After a two-hour police interrogation, Miranda not only confessed to the theft, but also kidnapping and rape.

What happens if my teen gets a DUI arrest?

On behalf of Richard T. Bryant & Associates, P.C. on Monday, July 15, 2019.

It’s every parent’s nightmare: your teen, who is going to University of Missouri next fall, goes out with his friends on a Friday night. At midnight, you get a call: not from your teen, but from the police. He’s been picked up for drunk driving and charged with a DUI.

The only good news is that no one else was in the car. Still, you’re fuming mad. You might need to calm down a bit before you rationally can talk to him about the very real dangers of teen drunk driving. Like for instance, every day, more than three people under age 21 die in alcohol-impaired crashes.

Penalties for speeding in school zones can be steep

On behalf of Richard T. Bryant & Associates, P.C. on Tuesday, April 16, 2019.

You are on your way to work in the morning, running a little later than usual. You had a hectic morning getting out of the house and now rushing to make up for lost time, you lose track of the posted speed limits on your commute. Suddenly, you see red and blue lights flashing behind you. The officer informs you that you were going 20 miles per hour over the speed limit in a school zone.

Any type of traffic ticket in a Missouri school zone can be steep. While a speeding ticket can have consequences for your driver’s license or finances at any time, getting caught speeding through school zones can result in serious penalties.

Taking your medication could lead to an arrest

On behalf of Richard T. Bryant & Associates, P.C. on Monday, December 24, 2018.

Driving under the influence does not necessarily refer to alcohol or illegal drugs such as cocaine or heroin. You could be under the influence of your prescription medication, or even over-the-counter medication, and find yourself facing DUI charges.

How is it you can be doing something legal, something you are supposed to be doing, and end up arrested?

3 ways police detect drunk driving

On behalf of Richard T. Bryant & Associates, P.C. on Wednesday, December 5, 2018.

Between holidays, sports games and other events, there is always an opportunity for drinking. Unfortunately, this can also mean risk of a DUI.

The best way to avoid drunk driving charges is to not get behind the wheel after consuming alcohol. If it does happen, these are the ways police catch drunk drivers.

How do Kansas and Missouri handle DUI charges?

On behalf of Richard T. Bryant & Associates, P.C. on Thursday, September 27, 2018.

Every state has different laws governing the penalties and legal consequences for driving while under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Much depends on the specific factors of your situation, such as how much alcohol was in your bloodstream at the time of your DUI arrest.

In the states of Kansas and Missouri, a DUI charge can result in high fines and jail time, depending on the severity of your charges. If the police arrest you for a DUI in either of these states, you should know the various possible penalties so you can effectively navigate the criminal justice system and work towards mitigating the consequences of your charges.

How can you establish paternity in Missouri?

On behalf of Richard T. Bryant & Associates, P.C. on Wednesday, June 27, 2018.

If you are a Missouri man who believes you fathered a child, or conversely, if you are a Missouri mother who believes a particular man fathered your child, but he denies it, you may have reason to desire a paternity test. Determining paternity is necessary for an unmarried man who wishes to have rights to a child he fathered, and it is also necessary for any mother who hopes to receive child support for her son or daughter.

There are several different methods you can utilize if you and your child’s other parent were unmarried and you wish to establish paternity in Missouri.

Should you hire an attorney to fight a speeding ticket?

On behalf of Richard T. Bryant & Associates, P.C. on Monday, April 2, 2018.

A speeding ticket can involve a lot more than a fine. For going 20 miles over the speed limit, you could receive a fine exceeding $150. You may also incur points on your record and other punishments for a simple mistake, according to the state's Department of Motor Vehicles.

Many people do not realize they can hire an attorney to fight a traffic ticket of any kind, including a speeding ticket, to keep the offense off the record. Defending yourself could be risky if you do not have the legal knowledge to beat the charges on your own against a judge and a police officer. The next time you deal with a traffic violation, you should seriously consider hiring an experienced attorney to defend your case.

Does your new job opportunity mean custody agreement change?

On behalf of Richard T. Bryant & Associates, P.C. on Wednesday, December 27, 2017.

For the past few years, you have been complying with the terms of the child custody agreement that went into effect upon your divorce. You have a good track record, and no significant issues have come up.

Now you have the opportunity to take the next step in your career, but the job the company is offering you will mean relocation, which will disrupt the existing visitation routine you have with your son. Will the court see fit to modify your child custody agreement?

Should you submit to a breathalyzer test in Missouri?

On behalf of Richard T. Bryant & Associates, P.C. on Monday, October 2, 2017.

Drunk driving is a serious epidemic every state has to contend with. According to data collected by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, over 3,300 people died in drunk driving incidents between 2003 and 2012 in Missouri.

People pulled over on suspicion of drunk driving can expect for a police officer to administer a field test. This usually consists of a breathalyzer to determine a person's blood alcohol content level. While most submit, many deny, assuming they are within their legal rights to do so. While a person can technically deny a breathalyzer test, one should seriously consider whether that is the best course of action.