"Never Say Never"... to Justin Bieber's deportation?

Celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan, Nicolas Cage, and Paris Hilton often make the news when they get on the wrong side of the law. But the recent arrest of Justin Bieber, on allegations of drag racing and driving under the influence of alcohol, marijuana, and prescription drugs, could lead to more serious consequences than just a fine or jail time.

... Except the Miami Beach PD, that is.
Photo used under Creative Commons license from @jiposhy on Flickr.

Bieber is Canadian, and does not hold U.S. citizenship. He is currently in the U.S. on a temporary visa, based on his extraordinary musical abilities. However, because Justin hasn't been formally charged yet, it is unclear whether the offenses would impact his immigration status. Non-citizens in the U.S., such as Bieber, may face deportation or become ineligible for certain types of immigration relief after being convicted of certain crimes. These crimes are formally named "aggravated felonies" or "crimes of moral turpitude" in the law. Although those titles sound serious, some relatively commonplace acts can result in criminal convictions under those categories.

For more news about Justin Bieber's arrest, read this CNN article.

If you are interested in applying for immigration status based on extraordinary ability in the sciences, arts, education, business, or athletics (an O visa), Glickman Turley may be able to help you. Even if you aren't a musical sensation, if you are an immigrant facing criminal charges, or if you are an immigrant who already has a criminal record, then it is important for you to talk to an attorney about your immigration status. Contact us today to see how we may be able to help.

Operating Under the Influence conviction reversed  

The Supreme Judicial Court affirmed that a Judge may not instruct a jury that a defendant in an OUI (Operating Under the Influence) charge does not have to take a breathalyzer test.   The jury instruction was ruled a violation of defendant's constitutional rights under the Fifth Amendment to the Constitution and the conviction was reversed.   (Commonwealth v. Gibson, November 29, 2012).


For representation on OUI charges, please contact Glickman Turley LLP at 617-399-7770.

Glickman Turley's experienced attorneys represent individuals on a wide range of criminal matters, as well as other legal issues. Please contact our attorneys if you wish to discuss representation on immigration matters, real estate purchase and sales, condominium associations, criminal defense, non-profit law, civil litigation, business litigation, business law, trademark law, probate matters including wills, powers of attorney, health care proxy, same-sex co-parent adoptions, guardianships, animal law, or LGBT legal matters.

SJC report: Judge Shopping and OUIs

The Boston Globe reported that the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) in Massachusetts appointed a special counsel to investigate whether "judges in district courts were acquitting drunk drivers at a rate about 20 percentage points higher than juries."

The investigation revealed that there are some courts in Massachusetts that "acquit nearly all of the drunken driving defendants who waive their right to a jury trial." Some judges had near 100 percent acquittals. The special counsel's report stated that juries acquitted OUI cases about 58 percent of the time and judges acquitted nearly 86 percent of the time. The article named Worcester County as one of the areas where judges tend to acquit drunken driving defendants who opt for a bench trial.

The law today allows drunken driving defendants "to avoid the penalty for refusing a breath test, a long license suspension, if they are later acquitted of drunken driving." The report by the special counsel proposed changing the current law. For more on this story, click here.

For representation on OUI cases, please contact Glickman Turley LLP at 617-399-7770.

Glickman Turley's experienced attorneys represent individuals on a wide range of immigration matters, as well as other legal issues. Please contact our attorneys if you wish to discuss representation on immigration matters, real estate purchase and sales, condominium associations, criminal defense, non-profit law, civil litigation, business litigation, business law, trademark law, probate matters including wills, powers of attorney, health care proxy, same-sex co-parent adoptions, guardianships, animal law, or LGBT legal matters.