In a surprising and encouraging move, late last year (2018) the “First Step Act” passed both houses of Congress and was signed into law by the President. The Act purports to change several provisions that will have an effect on Federal criminal cases going forward, as well as many individuals…
I recently became involved in a case in Federal Court in the Middle District of Alabama involving allegations that a client was part of a scheme to perform sub-standard physical examinations for Commercial Driver License holders and applicants. You can read about the case here. If you are unfortunate enough…
Restitution is an amount of money paid by someone convicted of a criminal offense. The purpose of restitution is to compensate a crime victim for actual losses incurred as a result of criminal activity. Importantly, restitution is not meant to compensate a crime victim for pain and suffering, hurt feelings,…
Being charged with the crime of domestic violence can be confusing. There are several different ways you can be charged. You could be charged with domestic violence in the first degree, second degree, third degree, by strangulation, by suffocation, or by interfering with a domestic violence emergency call. You…
One of the most common questions I am asked is the effect of a felony pardon on a person’s ability to possess a firearm. The answer is a bit more complex than one might think at first glance. The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles has the authority in our…
Andrew M. Skier, founder and lead trial counsel of Skier & Associates, has been invited by Committee Chair, Hon. Judge Kathleen Cardone, U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas, to testify before her Ad Hoc Committee to Review the Criminal Justice Act. The purpose of this committee is…
After a long wait, the hearing date is finally here! What should you expect as you prepare for and appear at the parole or pardon hearing? The Alabama Board of Pardons and Paroles has very strict rules for how they conduct a hearing, and it is important to be familiar…
I was recently given the honor of being appointed to serve a second three-year term as CJA Panel Representative from the Middle District of Alabama. The CJA Panel is the group of private practice lawyers who are accepted by the Federal District Court to receive appointments to represent clients in…
For the past twenty years or so, Alabama laws have been changing in order to address the problem of violence among those in family relationships. These Domestic Violence laws supplement existing laws such as assault, menacing, reckless endangerment, or harassment if the alleged victim “is a current or former spouse,…
When a person is under 21 years of age at the time they allegedly commit a criminal offense, Alabama law allows them to be treated by the Court as a “Youthful Offender.” What is Youthful Offender (YO) status and what does it mean for me if I qualify? When a…