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What the “911 Good Samaritan Law” means for you…

Illegal drug use can change a family or friendship forever!

None of us make it through life without some scars.  Some wounds will never quite heal. Losing a friend or family member to the lifestyle of drug abuse has to be one of life’s most difficult wounds to heal — especially if the death was preventable.

Which is one reason why the 2014 death of Cynthia Byersmith’s son Craig is so tragic.

Surrounded by people at a party in Missouri,  no one was willing to call 911 when Craig aspirated his own vomit due to a heroin overdose in 2014.   Why? The partygoers knew they would be busted because drugs and drug paraphenalia were present at the party.

According to the Springfield News-Leader reporter Jackie Rehwald,  Beyersmith believes her son Craig may have died needlessly.  If someone had called 911 promptly or given Craig the opiod overdose antidote Narcan, quite possibly his life could have been saved.

Sadly, they chose to let their “friend” die rather than suffer jail time (although they may still be in jail at this time). Why?  Even a simple heroin possession charge in Missouri is a Class C felony.

What does a Class C felony mean to you?

It includes a potentional penalty of seven long years in jail and heavy fines.  If you get the minimum sentence of probation, you will need to complete a  drug treatment program, according to FindLaw.com.  http://statelaws.findlaw.com/missouri-law/missouri-heroin-laws.html

In real life, finding a good job is a slim chance with a Class C felony on your records.

In real life, you may have to move back in with Mom and Dad,  a kind friend, or face being homeless and jobless.

Real life can be very difficult to face!   Still, what could be worse than facing the haunting memory that you let someone die because you were afraid to call 911?

In August of 2017, the 911 Good Samaritan Law went into effect in Missouri. This law does not encourge drug use. Instead, it provides a way to cry for help if you or friends you are with have made poor choices involving drug possession.

How does this law intended to help in a situation like Craig’s? According to the News-Leader article here are some ways this new law helps.  http://www.news-leader.com/story/news/local/ozarks/2017/08/26/new-law-offers-some-legal-protection

  • For someone who calls 911 to report drug overdose emergencies, they will not be charged with drug possession or paraphenalia charges.
  • If someone administers Narcane to an overdose victim, then immediately calls 911 for help for the victim, they will not be charged with a crime.

The 911 Good Samaritan Law also applies not just to opiods but to any controlled substance, including alcohol.

Parents, do I hear a sigh of relief? Be aware! Be informed. Know your rights.

This allows for something we all need at one time or another:  a second chance at life.

If you or someone you love is facing drug charges in Missouri, you need the help of an experienced criminal defense attorney!  You need a second chance, too — the best possible outcome!

Facing drug charges? Get a free initial legal consultaton. Find out how you or a loved one can get affordable, quality legal defense.  Get your second chance by calling The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC. 636-244-3737

http://steimel-law.com/criminal-defense.html

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

 

 

 

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How to protect yourself when you need prescription pain meds at work

Maybe you’re an employee that operates heavy equipment. You’ve also been diagnosed with a long-term auto-immune disease that causes chronic pain.

Chronic pain from your disease keeps you awake at night, sometimes all night. You can’t run the risk of being sleepy on your job. One misstep with the heavy equipment you drive, and someone else’s life is on the line. Most certainly your job is on the line!

Thankfully, your doctor realizes managing your disease requires sending you to a pain management doctor, too.

Together you discuss the options ahead of you. You discuss your job with the pain management doctor, and he still prescribes an opiod pain medicine in addition to other meds needed to fight inflammation in your body. It’s long-lasting pain relief, but you only take it before bedtime.

Your pain management doctor goes the extra mile and writes a note of explanation for your boss.

Yes, you are on opioids. But, yes, your dose is also carefully managed to allow you to safely do your job without creating the risk of a work-related accident. Both you and your doctor are trying to be responsible!

You breathe a sigh of relief because getting a good night’s sleep is a MUST.  You just want to function like a normal human being, right? But, you don’t want to lose your job!

Now for a conversation with your department manager or boss. What DO you say? Should you say anything?

You know random drug testing is always lurking!

You know you will fail the drug test at work even though your pain managment doctor has carefully prescribed what you need to function safely on the job.

Here’s where the rubber meets the road.  Prescription pain medicines are a hotly-debated topic, especially in the workplace. In fact, many companies are struggling to come up with a fair and safe workplace drug policy.  Some simply opt for a “drug-free workplace” which leaves no room for those who struggle with chronic illness and pain!

http://www.safetynewsalert.com/prescribed-drugs-what-can-companies-do-about-this-safety-hazard/

Interestingly enough, the state of Missouri does not legislate workplace drug testing for private employers.

This actually means that your workplace in Missouri is not prevented from running random drug tests. However, they cannot violate the Americans with Disabilites Act.

If you are able to legitimately claim a disability,  testing  positive for certain prescription drugs, even opioids, cannot be held against you.  ( Please note: in Missouri, this would not include medical marijuana.)

This is good news for the disabled who truly need their medicines to function!

What if you haven’t yet qualified for disability?

Many of those who suffer from extreme chronic pain still fall into this category.  And yet, you also need those pain meds to function!

In this case, an ounce of prevention may be worth a pound of cure. The best place to start would be a discussion with an experienced Missouri criminal defense  and workers’ compensation lawyer.

Since testing positive for opioids in  “drug-free workplace” can require entering a drug-rehab program,  a reduction in workers’ compensation benefits, or even the loss of your job you need sound legal advice from a criminal defense lawyer. You don’t want to be charged with a crime you never intended to commit!

Missouri’s drug-testing laws in the workplace can be confusing! If you deal with chronic pain and prescription meds, you need to know your legal rights and put a plan in place to protect your job.

You will find the Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC, to be both compassionate and aggressive defenders of the everyday employee.   Call for a free initial consultation today at 636-244-3737. Get your questions answered!

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

 

 

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Caught shoplifting in Missouri? { 3 reasons you need a criminal defense attorney’s help}

You’re not sure what possessed you at that moment!

In the blink of an eye, you tried on those new workboots you thought you needed at your favorite department store.  You even looked around and thought no one saw you.  Tucking your old shoes under the rack, you just decided to leave with the new boots on your feet.

What you didn’t notice was the store’s security surveillance cameras.  Before you could even get to the front of the store, there was a hand on your elbow and a voice in your ear. “Sir, you need to come with me.”

Your heart sank when turned around and saw store’s assistant manager standing at your side. Fortunately you decided  it was better to go quietly than to make a big fuss.

At least your petty crime  wasn’t plastered on social media or front page news. No one else saw you slink back to the store’s office  to wait for the police to arrive.

You’d never dealt with the law before.  However, it wasn’t the officer-on-call’s first trip to that store on that day.   Both the store’s manager and the officer who arrived were tired of having to deal with petty theft.  So they decided enough was enough!

Even though you tried to explain your situation — out of work for three months, and really needing these workboots for the new job — neither party was in the mood to deal.  They were ready to throw those boots straight at your dumb head!

While the story above is purely fiction, you may find yourself in these same “boots”.  Even if you’re a first-time shoplifting offender, you’re going to need a good criminal defense attorney. 

Here are 3 reasons you should really listen up:

1.) In the state of Missouri,  if you receive the maximum penalty for petty theft/shoplifting (under $500), you could lose a year of your life to jail-time. Add a $1000 fine to that pile of misery!

Ever wondered what goes on inside the four walls of a prison?  If you’re at all like me, you like the comforts of your own home, your own bed, and most especially your own choice of food.  I’m preeetty sure I’d get sick of prison food in no time flat.

What’s a year of your life worth to you? Your job? Your annual income? Your reputation? Gone!  No workboots on earth are worth that price. Without a job, how are you going to pay off that fine?

2.) In addition, shops can sue for restitution and damages.

You could receive a “civil demand letter”. In addition to the fines imposed by the court, you would have to pay an additional amount to the store you stole from, above and beyond the price of the item you stole.

3.) If you are a first-time offender, your criminal defense lawyer can work aggressively to get a suspended imposition of sentence (SIS).

What SIS means for you is no permanent criminal record for shoplifting. If theft is on your record, it can hinder you from getting a job, renting an apartment, or even getting federal loans.   However, you do have to stay “squeaky clean” and complete your probation period.

Don’t face petty theft charges in court alone!

Not only could you end up with a criminal record and a fine, you could lose months of your life in jail.

If you or a loved one is facing shoplifting or petty theft charges , you  need a meticulous, agressive criminal defense attorney defending you in court. 

Call The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC today for a free initial consultation. (636)244-3737

http://steimel-law.com/criminal-defense.html

 

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.

 

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Marijuana charges? Facing big time for a small crime?

BIG time for a small crime is a reality for the residents of Missouri!

“It’s a pattern I’ve seen over and over again!” Sweat poured down his ebony forehead as the elderly prison chaplain pumped his fist in the air.

“Young people in prison doing BIG time for a small crime. Just in the wrong place at the wrong time! They make a stupid mistake. Then they enter prison as a young person. Either they never leave, or they come back over and over again as a hardened criminal. It’s a life no one really wants!”

Maybe that’s you. Perhaps you are facing marijuana or drug charges in the state of Missouri. You simply had a joint in your possession. In a moment of weakness, you decided to sell the joint in your possession to a friend.

You thought you needed the money that badly. You arranged a meeting place, perhaps. What you didn’t pay attention to was that you were just around the corner from subsidized housing.

It’s one of the worst  possible places to get busted in Missouri! Life as you know it is about to be over. Why? Did you know that selling drugs within 2,000 feet of a school or subsidized housing is a Class A felony?  http://statelaws.findlaw.com/missouri-law/missouri-marijuana-laws.html

What does a Class A felony mean for you?

The minimum sentence is ten years in prison. You could be stuck there for a lifetime if the judge decides to throw the book at you.

You hopefully have plans for your life! At the very least you have hopes and dreams. Maybe you already have a family and home of your own.

Just imagine your friends and family spending the next ten years only seeing you in a prison jumpsuit when they find time to visit!

Possibly picture your children visiting you there! How will this affect their lives and their self-confidence?

Maybe you are facing smaller drug charges. Even a small marijuana possession charge carries serious, life-changing consequences for Missouri residents. Why?

Minimum prison sentences are mandatory in Missouri!

Say you have just an ounce of marijuana (cannabis) in your possession. That’s a pretty small amount. The minimum sentence is one year in prison! Three hundred and sixty-five looong days in the clink!

Try to picture yourself getting a decent job with a year of prison on your record. Most employers won’t even take a second look at your resume! NO job means practically no life. What a huge price to pay for a little bit of weed!

Now’s the time to own your mistakes and fight for the best possible outcome for your future. It’s your life and happiness at stake! You need a criminal defense lawyer today who cares about your tomorrows!

Nathan A. Steimel, an experienced Missouri criminal defense attorney, will give you a free initial consultation. You will get a fair evaluation of your likely outcome based on your charges. He will fight vigorously for your rights in court!

It’s only fair that a small crime should receive the least amount of time!

http://steimel-law.com/criminal-defense.html

Call The Law Offices of Nathan A. Steimel, LLC today to fight for your best possible future! (636)244-3737

This website is designed for general information only. The information presented on this site should not be construed to be formal legal advice or the formation of a lawyer/client relationship.