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What Does It Mean If I’m Being Charged with Misdemeanor Domestic Violence?
Learn what to expect if charged with misdemeanor domestic violence in Kentucky. Levinson Law LLC in Newport, KY offers legal representation and advice. Read more
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Robbery vs. Burglary: What’s the Difference?
Levinson Law LLC in Newport, KY helps clients facing robbery or burglary charges with skilled legal defense and personalized representation. Read more
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What Does Early Termination of Probation Mean for You Personally?
Levinson Law LLC in Newport, KY helps clients pursue early termination of probation, guiding them toward greater freedom and a fresh start. Read more
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What Are the Steps in a Criminal Case the Defendant Needs to Be Aware of from the Start?
Levinson Law LLC, criminal defense attorney in Newport KY, provides trusted legal representation for clients facing criminal charges in Northern Kentucky. Read more
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Here’s What To Know If You Bring Marijuana From One State to Another
The evolving landscape of marijuana legalization across the United States adds complexity to the rules surrounding the transportation of cannabis across state lines. While many states have approved medicinal or recreational cannabis, federal law continues to classify marijuana as an illegal substance. This conflict between state and federal law creates a potential legal minefield for… Read more
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How to Get Your License Reinstated After a DUI
Driving under the influence (DUI) or operating a vehicle while impaired (OVI) carries serious penalties, including the suspension or revocation of your driver’s license. Losing the ability to drive can significantly affect your daily life and independence. In Kentucky, the process of getting your license back after a DUI involves meeting specific legal and administrative… Read more
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Top 8 Police Mistakes in a DUI Investigation You Should Beware of
Being charged with a DUI can be daunting, but police officers can make errors that may work in your favor. Understanding these mistakes can help you and your defense attorney challenge the charges. In many cases, procedural errors, improper testing, or violations of constitutional rights can weaken the prosecution’s case and create opportunities for a more favorable… Read more
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What Does It Mean if You’re Taking Out an Order of Protection Against a Spouse?
Taking out an order of protection against a spouse is a serious legal step often prompted by concerns for personal safety, well-being, or freedom within the context of a marriage. This action typically arises in situations involving domestic violence, harassment, or other forms of abuse, including emotional, psychological, or financial harm. Understanding the legal implications,… Read more
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Choosing an Immigration Lawyer: What to Look For
Navigating the complexities of immigration law requires thoughtful decision-making and legal guidance. One misstep can significantly affect your future. Choosing the right immigration lawyer is more than a formality; it is a critical step that can determine the outcome of your case. Knowing what to look for in a legal representative can help you make an informed… Read more
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Probation Violations- What Happens Next?
I am frequently hired to represent people facing probation violations in both Kentucky and Ohio. This can be a very uncertain and scary time for both clients and their families and I do my best to limit the damage and guide them through the process (and hopefully prevent their probation from being revoked). Unlike with… Read more
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Juvenile Defense in Kentucky
We live in a society with a robust criminal justice system that often harshly punishes behavior that was tolerated or less aggressively policed in the past. This is particularly true when dealing with youth offenders, juveniles under the age of 18 who commit crimes. While more serious crimes committed by juveniles have always had criminal… Read more
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Criminal Practice in Campbell County, Kentucky
Since opening Levinson Law LLC in August of 2023, I have located my office at 530 York Street in Newport, just two blocks from the Campbell County Courthouse. While I practice throughout Northern Kentucky and the Cincinnati Metropolitan Area in Ohio, a significant amount of my business comes from Campbell County. Criminal defense is a… Read more
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What Is Diversion? A Crash Course
Everyone who gets charged with a crime has a first time in the criminal justice system. And the hope is that the first time will also be the last time. The general public is well aware of the repeat offenders who continue to commit crimes, but the success stories of the criminal justice system are… Read more
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House Bill 5- “The Safer Kentucky Act”: Harsher Punishments Ahead
Kentucky just passed the largest change to its criminal laws in recent memory, referred to either as House Bill 5 or the Safer Kentucky Act. It was a massive piece of legislation that made sweeping changes to numerous pre-existing offenses, as well as creating new crimes and punishments. While provisions criminalizing homelessness have gotten a… Read more
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Intervention In Lieu of Conviction (ILC)
What a good result looks like in the world of criminal defense depends on the client and the circumstance. Some clients have cases where their guilt isn’t really at issue and instead look for their attorney to guide them to the best result possible given the circumstances. In many cases, that means pleading guilty and… Read more
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EXPUNGEMENTS in Ohio: Clean up that record
Expungements are some of my favorite matters to work on. They aren’t big money and they’re often uncontested, but it feels great to help a client remove a charge or conviction from their record. People seek expungements for all sorts of reasons. Some people worry a past arrest or conviction will appear on a background… Read more
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Bail Jumping: Trickier to Prove Than It Might Appear
In Kentucky, criminal defendants who fail to show up for court appearances can be charged with bail jumping. Bail Jumping First Degree is a Class D Felony carrying a range of punishment of 1-5 years. Bail Jumping Second Degree is a Class A Misdemeanor carrying a punishment of up to 12 months. Bail Jumping Second… Read more
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Why are your fees so high?
I bill all of my private criminal defense clients on flat fee. I don’t track my hours or provide invoices other than the initial contract. I usually require additional fees if a case is set for trial or a motion to suppress, and this is outlined in the contract. But sometimes prospective clients want to… Read more
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Personal Jurisdiction: Can I sue you here?
When a lawsuit is filed in Kentucky against a non-resident defendant, the plaintiff (the person bringing the suit) bears the burden of establishing jurisdiction. This involves a two step process. First, the claim is analyzed under Kentucky statute to determine whether it falls under an enumerated category. These categories are fairly broad and a lot… Read more
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Guilty Plea or Trial? A Harder Decision Than It Might Seem
It’s not uncommon for a client to tell me at our first meeting that they were wrongly accused and either want the charges dropped or to go to trial. Many times, the clients are fooling themselves. But sometimes, they either shouldn’t have been charged or were grossly overcharged. That leads to the next question: what… Read more
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The Seizure of Cell Phones-Probable Cause On A Timer
During an investigation, police will often seize a suspect’s cell phone or phones. And one of the most common questions I get as a defense attorney is “Can the police do that?” And while the law gives police some latitude in investigating a case, there are constitutional limits on what they can do. The Fourth… Read more
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Grand Jury: Behind the Curtain
Criminal defendants who are charged with a crime but not yet indicted often are understandably anxious about the grand jury process. That anxiety is only intensified when they learn that grand jury is a secret process, a grand jury indictment only requires probable cause, and that their lawyer won’t be present. But it isn’t all… Read more
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The Persistent Felony Offender Conundrum
Many criminal defendants face enhanced punishments because of having prior convictions. These enhancements mean that otherwise minor felony offenses become very serious. In Kentucky, the punishments for felony criminal offenses (other than drug possession) can be enhanced under the Persistent Felony Offender statute if you have certain qualifying priors. To be a Persistent Felony Offender… Read more
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An Invaluable Experience
Before opening my own firm, I had the honor of serving for 11 years as a prosecutor. I knew that experience would land me in good stead, but I didn’t fully appreciate just how valuable it would be until I started. As a defense attorney, I found that I could offer clients real insight into… Read more
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The Unnecessary Pretrial Detention
A client of mine was arrested for drug trafficking and posted a $10,000 cash bond. The prosecutor reviewed the evidence and decided the facts only warranted drug possession charges. A grand jury agreed and indicted my client on possession of controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia charges. You might think that this would be… Read more
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Who is a “Law-Abiding Citizen”? And does it matter?
As I discussed in my last blog post, the constitutionality of many current firearms regulations are in doubt following the Supreme Court’s ruling in Bruen. Since establishing an individual right to bear arms in Heller, the United States Supreme Court has yet to decide who can lawfully possess firearms. Despite the issue not being raised,… Read more
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Are Kentucky’s Gun Possession Laws Still Constitutional?
For most of American history, the Second Amendment of the United States Constitution was not considered an individual right. States and the federal government enacted restrictions on who could possess firearms without considering whether these laws violated the rights of an individual to bear arms in self-defense. However, over the past fifteen years, the legal… Read more