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18 MAR
Road to justice
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Spring Is Here
Renewal, Re-education, and Celebration
I always think of March as the yellow time of year. It usually starts to feel like spring around
mid-February, and the pollen arrives not long after that. When you wake up in the morning or leave work for the day, you can expect a dusting of pollen on your car or your porch. If you have allergies, you probably regard it as a nuisance. But for me,
it’s a sign that spring has officially sprung.
Spring is a time of new beginnings, so we felt it was the perfect time to have a ribbon-cutting ceremony for our new building. We invited our colleagues in the area as well as a few local businesses to join us for a little tour and celebration. It wasn’t anything crazy, but it was fun to open our doors to the community. I also got to show off a few of the prints of famous paintings I’ve been filling the office with.
“Spring is a time of new beginnings, so we felt it was the perfect time to have a ribbon- cutting ceremony for our new building.”
This issue hasn’t just affected one law; it’s a persistent problem in our state. As somebody who firmly believes that unfinished legislation shouldn’t be the basis for arrests, prosecutions, or sentencing, it is definitely cause for alarm. The upside is that through discoveries like this, attorneys can hold the state accountable. It also allows us to take a look at previous cases and investigate new ways to help our clients. Vicki and I also traveled to Atlanta for some education on the latest in DUI defense. You’ll learn more about what we learned inside this issue, but let me say here that DUI cases are always changing. It’s on us to stay up to date so we can provide the best possible service to our clients. I think Vicki may have enjoyed that trip more than she enjoyed the monster truck rally.
We recently held a team-building event in Columbia, South Carolina. We went to Monster Jam, a massive
monster truck rally. It was mostly just a chance to do something fun with our team. When I announced the event to the team, I think half of them were excited and the other half were dreading it. Attorney Vicki Koutsogiannis didn’t hide her lack of excitement. But after the event, everyone admitted they’d had a good time, even if they went begrudgingly. At the very least, I know they got a laugh from seeing a massive truck decorated to look like Scooby-Doo. Of course, it hasn’t been all fun and games. I’ve recently been working on a new edition of my book on domestic violence cases, “Challenging CDV.” Part of what spurred me to update the book was a discovery I made regarding improper practices by our Secretary of State’s office. I won’t bore you with all the legal minutiae, but in a nutshell, a law had been on the books without proper authorization. This oversight calls into question every case prosecuted under this law in the past two years.
In closing, I want to wish everyone a spring full of renewal, sunshine, and all the pollen you can stand. –Jim Snell
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The Importance of Spring Cleaning Your Utility Room
Don’t Forget to Clean the Heart of Your Home
HOW OFTEN SHOULD YOU REPLACE YOUR AIR FILTER?
• Homes with minimal foot traffic (single or double occupancy) and no pets or allergies: 6 to 12 months.
• Family homes (three or more occupants) with no pets or allergies: 3 to 6 months.
• Family homes with at least one pet or minor allergies: 2 to 3 months.
• Family homes with multiple pets or allergies: 1 to 2 months.
In addition to changing the air filter, it’s important to schedule a routine inspection of your home’s HVAC system. This includes an inspection of the appliances themselves and any connecting ducts. Dust, dander, and mold can accumulate in the ducts and spread throughout the home, which can lead to health issues, including respiratory problems. A routine inspection will identify potential problems in your HVAC system. On top of that, you can get these systems professionally cleaned and maintained. These are simple steps that will keep your home’s air systems running smoothly for years to come. Plus, you’ll be ready for the summer months ahead!
Car Insurance Coverage Problems DoYouKnowYourPolicy?
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You Don’t Need to Tell Police About Medications Never Volunteer Information
A decade ago, the number of DUI cases involving prescription medication was hardly worth remarking on. These days, those cases constitute roughly one-third of the DUI cases we see here at the Law Office of James R. Snell. Attorneys Jim Snell and Vicki Koutsogiannis recently attended a class on medication-based DUI cases at the National College for DUI Defense. They came away with a few tips on how to help citizens avoid being arrested for taking medications prescribed by a doctor. Breathalyzers may not be a perfect tool, but they offer a lot more clarity than DUI cases involving other drugs. In those cases, officers often rely on Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) training to identify a driver that may be under the influence. Our attorneys have completed this training, so we can say from experience that it is far from comprehensive. Basically, it involves making an educated guess, based on behavior, on whether a driver is impaired. It’s far from hard science and leaves a lot of room for human error.
against you. Even if you are taking medications exactly as prescribed, there is no reason to tell the officer you have taken anything. Similarly, you should never leave medications in plain sight. The way our law enforcement system works encourages police to arrest now and ask questions later. We’ve had cases where somebody was arrested for medication-based DUI only to have their bloodwork come back totally clean. There are ways to defend yourself against an unjust arrest, but it’s a lot better to avoid being arrested in the first place. If you’re pulled over, be polite, but don’t answer any questions you don’t have to. Conventional wisdom states that if you’re innocent, you should have nothing to hide. The problem with this thinking is that it assumes the police will take everything you say on good faith and won’t use it against you. Unfortunately, that’s not always what happens, so use good judgment when volunteering information regarding prescription medications.
Because of the circumstantial nature of ARIDE arrests, it’s crucial that you don’t volunteer any information an officer can use
MEMEs
Zesty Zucchini Enchiladas
For a lighter take on enchiladas, go carb-free by swapping tortillas for zucchini!
INGREDIENTS
•
2 teaspoons cumin
•
4 large zucchini
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1 tablespoon olive oil or ghee
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2 teaspoons chili powder
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3 cups cooked, shredded chicken
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1 large onion, chopped
•
2 cloves garlic, minced
•
2 cups shredded cheese
INSTRUCTIONS
chicken mixture on top. Roll the zucchini “tortilla” and place on baking sheet. Repeat until all zucchini and chicken is used. 3. Cover the enchiladas with remaining sauce and sprinkle
1. Heat oven to 350 F. In a large skillet, heat oil. Add onion, garlic, cumin, chili powder, and salt to taste. Stir to combine. Add chicken and 1 cup enchilada sauce. 2. Use vegetable peeler to
with cheese. Bake 20 minutes, and enjoy!
thinly slice zucchini. Lay out three slices, slightly overlapping, and spoon
Adapted from delish.com.
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
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The Law Office of James R. Snell Jr., LLC 123 Harmon Street Lexington, SC 29072
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Inside this Issue
A Busy Spring for Snell Law PAGE 1
Spring Clean Your Utility Room Is Your Car Insurance Actually Covering You? PAGE 2
A Time to Keep Quiet Go Carb-Free for Dinner PAGE 3
St. Patrick’s Day vs. the Color Green PAGE 4
Why Green Is the Color of St. Patrick’s Day
There’s only one day of the year you’ll be scorned for not wearing green: St. Patrick’s Day. If you’ve ever gone the whole holiday wearing any other color, you’ve probably been pinched by your peers, family, spouse, and anyone else decked out head to toe in green. Green has become so deeply associated with the St. Patrick holiday that many people are unaware that green wasn’t always its official color. Blue was the first color to symbolize St. Patrick’s Day, and the saint himself is almost always depicted dressed in what’s known as “St. Patrick’s blue.” What caused the shift from green to blue is more speculation than hard fact. Some have theorized that the change happened sometime in the 17th century, when the symbol for the United Irishmen Rebellion became the clover. St. Patrick used the clover to teach the Irish people about the Holy Trinity, and it eventually became a symbol that represented both the saint and the holiday.
the plentiful green foliage that adorns the country’s landscape. It also relates to the green in the flag. Each of the three colors in the flag have their own symbolic meaning: green for the Catholics who live in the country, orange for the Protestants, and white for the peace between the two. Of course, you can’t forget leprechauns, the little creatures that have always been affiliated with the holiday. But just like St. Patrick’s original blue garb, these impish tricksters used to wear red instead of green. While green overtook blue as the shade of choice for St. Patrick, leprechauns began putting on their signature green suits. You might wonder where the tradition of pinching comes from. We can thank the leprechauns for this one. It’s said that if the gold-loving redheads caught you not wearing their favorite color, they would pinch you. To avoid pinches from leprechauns and people alike, be sure to put on some green this St. Patrick’s Day to blend in with the festive crowd.
Green Dominates St. Patrick’s Day for a Reason
Another theory comes from Ireland’s nickname, “The Emerald Isle,” which was coined because of
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