Law Office of James D. Owen, LLC

Interacting with a police officer can be intimidating and frightening. Even though you have done nothing wrong, you need to treat the encounter with a police officer seriously. Your actions and what you say during the encounter can impact what happens next. Here are 6 questions you should ask during interactions with the police, according to our experienced criminal defense lawyers at James D. Owen, LLC. What Do I Do if a Police Officer Stops Me? Understanding what to do and what questions to ask if law enforcement officers stop you can help. Try to remain calm. Panicking may make you appear suspicious, and it can prevent you from thinking…

Unfortunately, false allegations are more common than people realize. People falsely accuse people of crimes for a variety of reasons. A partner may use false allegations of domestic violence to gain the upper hand in a custody or divorce case. The partner may want to obtain a restraining order, which can hurt the other person’s career and social life. False allegations may also be used in the workplace to hurt someone’s career. Revenge may be enough for someone to file false allegations. Sadly, accusing someone of a crime that they did not commit has criminal, civil, and social implications. Fighting Back Against False Allegations If someone accuses you of a…

The Second Amendment to the United States Constitution guarantees the people the right to keep and bear arms. However, gun laws make things much more complicated than that. Federal and state laws regulate and govern the right to possess and use firearms. Some of the laws regarding using guns for self-defense in your home have changed in Ohio. It is important to understand gun laws in Ohio, especially related to your right to use force to defend yourself in your home. Self-Defense Laws Have Changed in Ohio In most cases, you have the right to take lethal force to defend yourself in your home from an intruder. Under previous Ohio…

Columbus city officials blame the coronavirus pandemic, economic hardship, and illegal guns for the city’s rash of shootings and violent crimes. In a press conference, Police Chief Quinlan, Mayor Ginther, and other local leaders expressed their concerns about the violence in Columbus. Mayor Ginther was emotional as he reminded people that these individuals are not numbers, but that they are family members who will never come home again. Chief Quinlan pointed out that there has been a decrease in people coming forward to report what they know. Without people telling the police what they know about shootings and other crimes, the officers cannot make arrests to prevent the same people…

Many cities in Ohio and throughout the United States have experienced increases in crime rates during the first half of 2020. Columbus, Ohio, is no exception. Shootings have increased by an astonishing 340 percent in June compared to the same month last year. During June 2020, there were 117 shootings in the city, compared to just 34 shootings one year ago. Do You Need a Criminal Defense Attorney to Handle Your Homicide Charges? Some of the shootings in Columbus have resulted in a variety of homicide charges. The shootings that did not result in a fatality may have resulted in other weapons charges. However, until the state proves their cases…

A shooting in West Columbus resulted in multiple arrests by the police. According to the news report, a police sergeant on a routine patrol on Sullivant Avenue at Columbia Avenue heard gunfire around 6:05 p.m. on Wednesday, June 17, 2020. Upon investigation, the officer witnessed individuals from two vehicles in an alley firing guns at each other. One of the stray rounds hit the police sergeant’s vehicle. Bullets struck two other vehicles and two houses during the gunfight. Officers were able to stop one of the vehicles at 2085 West Broad Street, after obtaining a description of the vehicle. Officers took two juveniles into custody on outstanding warrants. The police…

With over 850,000 residents, Columbus is the third-largest city in the Midwest. It’s definitely a boomtown. It’s also a popular destination for millions of travelers each year. When people either live in or visit cities as large as Columbus, questions about safety are just as widespread as interest in the Buckeyes football team. Why Do So Many People Visit Columbus? As the largest city in the state of Ohio, it’s not surprising to find plenty going on. In addition to serving as the home city for The Ohio State University, Columbus is also the site for the legendary state fair, an expanding culinary scene, and growing museums. What’s The Crime…

There have been many lawsuits filed across the United States alleging a person exposed another person to a sexually-transmitted disease. A high-profile lawsuit a few years ago involved Usher as a defendant. In 2017, a Cleveland, Ohio woman sued a former ex-boyfriend alleging that he failed to inform her that he had herpes. The truth is that you can face criminal charges if you give someone herpes. You can also face civil liability for exposing partners to sexually-transmitted diseases like herpes. The criminal charges and circumstances govern whether you could go to jail for giving someone herpes. Transmitting a Sexually Transmitted Disease A sexually transmitted disease or STD is an…

In some cases, a criminal conviction can have consequences beyond fines, imprisonment, or other criminal penalties. Civil penalties may also apply. An individual injured during the commission of a crime might obtain a monetary judgment against the criminal in civil court. However, some criminal convictions involving crimes of moral turpitude can result in the loss of a professional license. Crimes involving moral turpitude can also impact a person’s immigration status or the ability to obtain certain jobs. Our criminal defense attorneys in Columbus assist clients in developing defense strategies to fight allegations of moral turpitude crimes aggressively. What is Moral Turpitude? A crime of moral turpitude generally involves offenses that…

So, you learned that there is an outstanding warrant for your arrest. You probably have a lot of questions. What exactly is a warrant? How did you get a warrant for your arrest? How did it become outstanding? What are the rules of warrants in Ohio? What happens after a warrant is issued? What steps should you take next to deal with your outstanding warrant?  What is a Warrant? A warrant is an order that is issued by a legal authority that permits someone to take some sort of action against another. The legal authority is someone with legal or administrative powers. In general, this is an order issued by…