Winston-Salem Legal Issues Blog

Will my penalty be different for a repeat DWI?

On behalf of Combs, Bradshaw & Lee, PLLC on Tuesday, June 11, 2019.

If you have already been convicted of driving while impaired (DWI), you are probably well aware that North Carolina's drinking and driving laws are severe. There are five levels of misdemeanor DWI convictions, and if you have only received one prior DWI conviction, your conviction was likely level V, level IV or level III.

These are the three least serious DWI convictions. Yet, your penalties may have included jail time, community service and loss of driving privileges. A second or subsequent DWI conviction would likely be more severe, meriting a level II misdemeanor, level I misdemeanor or felony DWI.

Co-Parenting challenges brought on by summer

On behalf of Combs, Bradshaw & Lee, PLLC on Monday, June 3, 2019.

As the weather heats up and school lets out, many co-parents find themselves facing a unique set of obstacles.

Summer presents new challenges for both parents, especially around these areas:

How can you increase your child support payments?

On behalf of Combs, Bradshaw & Lee, PLLC on Friday, April 19, 2019.

If you and your ex couldn’t agree on everything before you finalized your divorce, a judge probably made the decisions for you. This includes how your custody agreement works and how much child support your ex pays. But what if you are not satisfied with the judge’s decision?

Your child support order is not set in stone. There are ways you can increase the amount your ex pays.

What not to do if pulled over for suspicion of DWI

On behalf of Combs, Bradshaw & Lee, PLLC on Wednesday, January 23, 2019.

Getting pulled over by law enforcement can immediately put you in defense mode. Unfortunately, by doing this it can also make you say and do things that can cause you additional trouble. There is a certain protocol you should adhere to when being pulled over by an officer. Knowing these things in advance can only help, as going on instinct can sometimes put a simple traffic stop into a frustrating situation for all involved.

Here are things you certainly should not do if you are pulled over by the police when the officer may suspect you of DWI.

Can grandparents seek visitation rights?

On behalf of Combs, Bradshaw & Lee, PLLC on Thursday, October 25, 2018.

As a grandparent, your grandchildren are some of the most important people in your life. There is very little you would not do for them. Unfortunately, life can get incredibly complicated.

Perhaps your son or daughter is getting a divorce, or maybe your unmarried child is in a custody dispute with your grandchild's other parent. In North Carolina, you do have the legal right to apply for visitation of your grandchildren, in some circumstances.

Are you aware of the types of child custody?

On behalf of Combs, Bradshaw & Lee, PLLC on Monday, July 23, 2018.

North Carolina, along with many other states, follows the Uniform Child Custody Act. You may have a general idea of what child custody is, but not know what the different types are. It is important to know the basics when dealing with a child custody issue in North Carolina.

There are different types of custody in North Carolina that often overlap and depend on your situation.

Conversations that teens and parents should have about graduation

On behalf of Combs, Bradshaw & Lee, PLLC posted in blog on Friday, April 27, 2018.

If you have a teenaged driver who is graduating next month, you are probably a ball of mixed emotions. On the one hand, you are proud of him or her because of their accomplishments. Graduating (and even graduating with high honors) is a grand accomplishment. On the other hand, you probably are mystified with how quickly time has passed, as it seems like just yesterday they were in diapers.

But your biggest worry likely has to do with where they are going to celebrate their accomplishments; especially given that alcohol is likely going to be involved. Your child is likely to insist that they will not drink, and you may very well believe them. However, the reality is that many teens live in a world that they do not want their parents to know about for one reason or another. Another reality is that car accidents are the leading cause of death for young people aged 15 to 20 years old. So while your graduate may be very responsible, it is worth going over the following guidelines.

Are self-driving cars too good to be true?

On behalf of Combs, Bradshaw & Lee, PLLC posted in blog on Friday, January 26, 2018.

The inventors of self-driving cars are optimistic that autonomous cars will be in every city worldwide by the end of the decade. Car companies boast that they will revolutionize travel as we know it and that cars in autopilot mode will help prevent car accidents.

But are self-driving cars really all they’re cracked up to be?

Where will smartphones lead us? Into lampposts

On behalf of Combs, Bradshaw & Lee, PLLC posted in blog on Tuesday, December 19, 2017.

You have heard of distracted driving, but did know that distracted walking is becoming a problem?

There are reports from Salzburg, Austria that the city is surrounding municipal lampposts with the equivalent of car airbags to prevent injuries to people walking into them. The culprit? People's smartphones.

Fighting back against DWI charges

On behalf of Combs, Bradshaw & Lee, PLLC posted in DWI on Saturday, August 19, 2017.

Conviction on DWI charges for alcohol intoxication in North Carolina require that the prosecution prove you had a blood alcohol concentration (BAC) of .08 or higher. BAC evidence often comes from breath testing via Breathalyzer or Intoxilyzer devices.

DWI convictions can mean serious short- and long-term ramifications, so simply having a BAC or .08 or more absolutely doesn't mean that you should "roll over without a fight." You should fight vigorously against any criminal charge to minimize the consequences you could face.

Fighting for a Brighter Future for Our Clients