Published on:

By

Two people in Manchester are facing serious criminal charges after police searched their home and found large amounts of drugs and cash. While the details are sketchy at this point, the search seems to have been initiated after the couple’s 2-year-old son was hospitalized after being found unresponsive on their couch.search-300x109

The incident highlights how quickly police can invade your right to privacy.

Couple Faces Drug Charges

The terrible situation began on Friday, May 25, 2018, when the parents of a 2-year-old child found him unresponsive on a couch in their Manchester, New Hampshire home. They rushed the boy to the Catholic Medical Center, where they told the staff that the child might have eaten dry wall from a small plastic bag in their home.

Continue reading →

Published on:

By

New Hampshire’s attempt to cut down on distracted driving car accidents led to the passage of a “hands-free” law that prohibits using any hand-held device while driving. These include cellphones, GPS devices, and tablets.handheldAR-150629933-300x194

The law, codified at N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 265:79-c, went into effect in July 2015, and made New Hampshire the 15th state to have one. Violating it came with a $100 fine for a first offense. The fine increased to $250 fine for a second offense within 24 months, and then a $500 fine for a third offense.

But has the law worked? The results are inconclusive.

Police: Steep Decline in Fatal Crashes Due to Hands-Free Law

According to the police, the law is working wonders on the roads of our state. In an interview with New Hampshire Public Radio, Matt Shapiro, a major in the New Hampshire State Police, claimed that there was “clear evidence” that the law was working.

Continue reading →

Published on:

By

Two people suffered serious but non-life-threatening injuries when they were involved in a car accident with a moose. The incident highlights how dangerous a crash with a wild animal can be.Moose-Crossing-300x199

Car Hits Moose: Two Hurt

The incident happened on May 26, 2018, in Campton, New Hampshire.

The driver and a passenger of a Mini Cooper were traveling northbound on Interstate 93 when a moose appeared in front of them on the roadway. The driver was not able to avoid hitting the moose head-on, and ended up driving into the trees on the side of the highway after the collision.

While the driver was able to walk away from the crash, the passenger was trapped inside the vehicle. People who stopped to help after the crash were able to pry the roof far enough to get the passenger out of the car.

Continue reading →

Published on:

By

Students who are newly graduated from schools and universities in New Hampshire and who are intent on continuing their studies in graduate schools can face additional obstacles in their future if they have a criminal conviction on their record. Even if this blemish was not serious, and even if it happened years ago, it can impact your ability to gain admission into the graduate program of your dreams. Even if you do get in, a criminal background can prevent you from getting the financial aid that you need.criminalrecord-1

These are just one more example of the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction.

The Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Conviction

Contrary to popular belief, if you get convicted of a crime, the penalties that you will face go beyond just the fines, jail time, and probation that the state will put you through. Once those are all finished, there are still the informal penalties and the social stigmas that individual people and companies will impose on you.

Continue reading →

Published on:

By

The month of May is frequently the first of the year that is warm enough for motorcycles to be out on the roads of New Hampshire on a regular basis. After being hidden in garages all winter, the sudden presence of motorcycles on the roads can come as a surprise. This can make it helpful for motorcyclists and car drivers to review some of the safety tips that can prevent a motorcycle accident. motorcycleawarenessad-300x158

Motorcyclists: Wear a Helmet

Motorcyclists are probably tired of hearing this safety tip. They are probably sick of hearing estimates by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) that say helmets saved the lives of 1,772 bikers in 2015 alone.

Continue reading →
Published on:

By

To all new college graduates in New Hampshire, congratulations! But now that you are out of school, it is only a matter of time before you realize that the working world is a far less forgiving place than a university. One example is how many jobs require their workers to carry professional licenses or security clearances. Getting these certifications, however, can be impossible if you have a criminal record.

This is just another example of the collateral consequences of a criminal conviction.college-graduate-living-at-home-300x200

Collateral Consequences of a Conviction

When people think of the penalties they can face after being convicted of a crime, they think of fines, possible jail time, probation, and mandatory community service.

Continue reading →

Published on:

By

Getting convicted of a crime is not a small matter because it typically leads to fines, probation, and even jail time. However, not everyone is aware that there are also collateral consequences of a criminal conviction—those that are not doled out by the state of New Hampshire but rather by private individuals and companies.criminalrecord2-c-300x200

One of these collateral consequences is on the housing front. Many landlords frown upon prospective tenants who have a criminal background, making it more difficult for people with a past conviction to live where they want to live. For recent graduates in New Hampshire, this can be a surprising problem to have.

Primary and Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Conviction

Continue reading →

Published on:

By

Every year is not the same when it comes to motorcycle accidents. As more riders are on the road, the number of motorcycle fatalities rises. This increase, however, is tempered by developments in motorcycle and car safety. Noting how these numbers are trending, though, can be helpful to understanding how dangerous it is to ride a motorcycle in New Hampshire or elsewhere in the U.S.Motorcycle-Accidentsnt-300x196

Recent Rise in Motorcycle Fatalities

Unfortunately, the most recent statistics from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) have shown that motorcycle fatalities are rising precipitously, and in line with the recent increase in road deaths of all kinds.

According to the NHTSA, 2015 saw an 8% increase in the number of motorcyclists who died on the roads of America, compared to 2014. This increase was not just because more bikers were on the road, though: the fatality rates per registered vehicle and per mile driven rose as well.

This meant that motorcycles had 6 times the fatality rate of a car per registered vehicle. Worse, the fatality rate of motorcyclists was 29 times higher than that of people in cars per mile driven.

The Role of Speed

Continue reading →

Published on:

By

Despite what some people say about motorcycles, different models from different makers handle differently. While there usually is not very much separating one bike from another, there are several outliers that even experienced bikers admit are radically different. Often, these models were the first to incorporate some brand new technology or mechanical development, but the design was less than perfect and led to more motorcycle accidents than expected.motorcycle-accident-lawyer-300x199

Here are some of the riskiest motorcycle models that you can find on the road today.

The 1999 Suzuki Hayabusa GSX1300R

The Hayabusa was built to be a racing bike, and the 1999 GSX1300R model came before legal regulations prohibited motorcycle companies from making bikes that could go too fast. The result was a motorcycle that could go 195 miles per hour right off the dealer’s lot.

Continue reading →

Published on:

By

As spring winds down, college students in New Hampshire—whether at the University of New Hampshire or at one of the other fine schools in the state—are about to enter the working world throughout the region. Some students can have an uphill battle if they have been convicted of a crime while in college or even during high school. This is because, unbeknownst to many, there are collateral consequences of a criminal conviction that go beyond the penalties provided in state laws.Graduation-cap-and-diploma-300x203

The Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Conviction

When people think of the penalties that come with a criminal conviction, they often think of the penalties doled out by the state, like fines, jail time, or probation.

Continue reading →