LATEST ARTICLES BY: Andrew J. Baldwin
What Are Indiana’s Drug Possession Penalty Levels?
Indiana’s drug possession penalties depend on the drug, the amount, and whether prior convictions or other aggravating facts apply. Charges range from a misdemeanor for a small amount of marijuana to a serious felony for larger amounts of cocaine, methamphetamine, or other narcotics. Misdemeanor or…
How Is DUI Causing Death Different From Reckless Homicide in Indiana?
A fatal crash involving alcohol can lead to more than one possible criminal charge in Indiana, and the difference matters. Prosecutors sometimes have a real choice between charging OWI (Indiana’s term for DUI) causing death and reckless homicide, and that choice can change sentencing exposure…
How Is Child Molestation Different From Other Sex Offenses in Indiana?
A charge labeled “child molesting” instead of sexual battery or sexual misconduct with a minor is not random. Indiana law sorts sex offenses by the victim’s age, the exact contact alleged, and the ages of everyone involved, and each path carries its own felony level…
How Child Molestation Investigations Work in Indiana?: Process Overview
A call from a Department of Child Services (DCS) caseworker or a knock from a detective can upend a family in minutes. This guide walks through the Indiana child molestation investigation process, from the first report to the prosecutor’s charging decision, and explains when to…
Drug Dealing vs. Possession With Intent to Deal in Indiana: What’s the Difference?
Getting arrested with drugs doesn’t tell you what charge you’re facing. Indiana treats simple possession and dealing as separate crimes, each with its own felony levels and prison ranges. Possessing a drug with intent to deal is one way to commit dealing, so it falls…