by Marc Lopez Law Firm | May 29, 2025 | Criminal Charges, Defenses to Criminal Charges, General, Search and Seizure
It’s late. There’s a knock at the door. You open it a crack, and suddenly there’s a boot wedged between your door and the frame. One wrong move, and you’re being charged with assaulting an officer. Sound far-fetched? It’s not. In just five minutes, you can learn the...
by Marc Lopez Law Firm | May 28, 2025 | Criminal Charges, General, Safe Driving
No one plans to get pulled over, but it happens every day—on your way home from work, after a late-night Taco Bell run, or just cruising through your own neighborhood. It’s a routine part of law enforcement, but make no mistake: a traffic stop is a legal event with...
by Marc Lopez Law Firm | May 27, 2025 | Alcohol, Criminal Charges, Defenses to Criminal Charges, DUI, OVWI
Facing a first-time DUI in Indiana can be nerve-wracking, but jail time isn’t a certainty—especially if the offense is a basic Class C misdemeanor, with a BAC under 0.15, no accident, and no reckless behavior. Indiana law allows for varying degrees of DUI charges,...
by Marc Lopez Law Firm | May 22, 2025 | Criminal Charges, Expungement
Indiana’s Second Chance Law—commonly called the expungement law—isn’t just legal jargon. It’s a real, tangible opportunity to hit reset on your life. If you’ve ever been turned down for a job, denied housing, or felt stuck in the shadow of a past mistake, this law...
by Marc Lopez Law Firm | May 20, 2025 | Alcohol, Criminal Charges, Defenses to Criminal Charges, DUI, OVWI
Many people facing an OWI (Operating While Intoxicated) charge in Indiana are surprised to find “endangerment” attached to their case—especially when no one else was involved or hurt. Under Indiana law, a standard OWI charge is a Class C misdemeanor, but if...
by Marc Lopez Law Firm | May 19, 2025 | Criminal Charges, Defenses to Criminal Charges
Think a busted taillight or a rolling stop can’t lead to a full-blown vehicle search? Think again. When it comes to roadside stops, the line between routine and invasive can blur quickly. That’s why knowing your Fourth Amendment rights—and how to assert them—isn’t...
by Marc Lopez Law Firm | May 16, 2025 | Alcohol, Criminal Charges, DUI, OVWI
In some Indiana DUI cases, the prosecutor files charges almost immediately. In other cases, the State can take weeks (or even months) to move forward. For a first-time defendant, this can be confusing and overwhelming. It’s stressful when you don’t know...
by Marc Lopez Law Firm | May 15, 2025 | Criminal Charges, Defenses to Criminal Charges, Self-Defense
Let’s be honest—road rage is out of control. Since the 2020 lockdown, it’s like people forgot how to behave behind the wheel. I’ve been practicing law for nearly two decades, and I’ve never seen anything like this. The volume of reckless driving arrests, aggressive...
by Marc Lopez Law Firm | May 13, 2025 | General, No Contact Order, Protection Order
Just last week, I was in court for a protective order trial. The outcome? Case dismissed. Our client was thrilled. He told us, “I’m so glad I hired an attorney—everyone else had their protective orders granted.” That kind of result doesn’t happen by accident....
by Marc Lopez Law Firm | May 9, 2025 | Car Crash, Insurance, Personal Injury, Property Damage
If your car has been totaled in an Indiana crash, the insurance company is obligated to pay you the fair market value of your vehicle before the accident—not what you think it’s worth, what you owe, or what sentimental value it holds. Indiana law treats property...