Author Archives: Jay Butchko
What Do You Need To Know About A Lifetime License Suspension?
A lifetime license suspension makes life far more difficult than it needs to be. Going about day-to-day tasks, such as grocery shopping and getting to work, requires far more time and energy than it normally would. Luckily, in Indiana, they no longer issue lifetime license suspensions. But, if a lifetime suspension has already been… Read More »
Specialized Driving Privileges
A suspended license makes life far more difficult than it needs to be. A particularly long license suspension can change the trajectory of one’s life. Fortunately, though, there is a potential solution: specialized driving privileges. Even those with an especially long license suspension can be eligible for specialized driving privileges. What Are Specialized Driving… Read More »
Sex Crimes With A Juvenile Victim
In Indiana, sex crimes with a juvenile victim are punished harshly. Most convictions result in a prison sentence, fine, and sex offender registration. Different Types Of Sex Crimes Within the state of Indiana, there are a variety of felonious sex crimes that specifically involve juvenile victims. The most common types of felonious sex crimes,… Read More »
Clemency And Pardons In Indiana
Under the Indiana Constitution, offenders can apply to the Governor for a commutation, pardon, or reprieve from their sentence. Relief through clemency is available after the offender has served only a portion of their sentence. A pardon is only available when five (5) years has passed since the completion of the sentence. Are You… Read More »
What Are The Different Types Of Probation In Indianapolis?
Judges in Indianapolis are authorized by statute to impose probation and special terms of probation on any person convicted of a crime. The terms of probation may vary from case to case, depending on both the nature of the crime that was committed and the sentence given for that crime. To understand what a… Read More »
What Should You Know About Parole Violation Hearings In Indianapolis?
Criminal offenders released early from the Indiana Department of Correction without any probation are given a parole sentence with specific rules. Violating these rules can lead to a parole violation hearing and, depending on the outcome of this hearing, the offender’s return to prison. Committing A Parole Violation In Indianapolis Every parole sentence comes… Read More »
Criminal Drug Possession Requires Actual Proof Of Drugs
In a criminal case, it doesn’t necessarily matter what the government thinks you did, but rather what the government can prove you did. Put another way, the state must prove all elements of the charged offense beyond a reasonable doubt. This includes the basic facts of the crime itself. Indiana Appeals Court Reverses Conviction… Read More »
When Can Indianapolis Police Extend A Traffic Stop To Investigate Other Possible Crimes?
Police often try to prolong routine traffic stops if they suspect the driver might have committed some other crime, such as drunk driving or illegal possession of a controlled substance. Consistent with the Fourth Amendment and the Indiana Constitution, however, an officer cannot extend a traffic stop based on reasonable suspicion simply in the… Read More »
Does A Homeowner’s “Consent” To A Police Search Extend To Their Guests’ Belongings?
As a general rule of law, the police cannot search your home without either your consent or a search warrant. But even if the owner consents to a search, how far does that extend? For example, can the police search someone else’s purse or backpack when it happens to be in the owner’s house?… Read More »
Kassi Rigney Quoted in Indy Star Article
Attorney Kassi Rigney was quoted in this Indy Star article. Meth, guns, cellphones: ‘Defective’ warrant jeopardizes evidence in triple killing When Indianapolis police found the bodies of three young people in a field on the city’s south side in October 2021, they used witness interviews and phone records to establish Caden Smith as a… Read More »