PMCW Law

Probable cause laws are established to protect the rights of citizens, as well as the rights of officers involved, when there is reason to believe a crime has been committed. It is the legal standard by which a police officer has the right to make a stop, arrest, conduct a property or personal search, or obtain a warrant for arrest. When there is sufficient reason, based on known facts, that a person has committed a crime or a property is connected with a crime, there may be probable cause. Our experienced law firm at the Lake of the Ozarks would like to highlight some key factors surrounding "probable cause" to help you understand the topic. For more information, please contact the law offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, PC. Warrant A warrant may be required by law enforcement prior to a search, under some circumstances.  This all begins with probable cause.  Probable Cause to Conduct a Traffic Stop When an officer has a "hunch," ...

Suppose you are in a situation where you feel you have been personally wronged, or you believe that several people have been put at risk. How do you take legal action? What type of action do you take? In our legal system, cases can take one of two forms: civil cases and criminal cases : Civil Law Civil Law cases address issues between individual persons and/or organizations. These cases usually arise when an individual (the "plaintiff") feels he/she has been wronged and seeks financial reimbursement or to prohibit and/or allow certain actions. The accused individual or organization (the "defendant") then has an opportunity to state their case and defend themselves. These types of cases generally involve situations that are unique to the plaintiff, such as individual loss of time/money/wages or the defendant's failure to uphold his/her end of a contract. Typically, the verdict of these cases favors whichever party produced the strongest evidence. In a ...

Are you an aspiring business owner? If you are considering starting your own business, this blog is designed for you! Owning your own business can be a lot of work, but it can also be incredibly rewarding. Everyone at the Law Offices of Phillips, McElyea, Carpenter, & Welch, P.C. is committed to helping you achieve that dream. In this blog post, we are going to examine how an LLC is beneficial to your business and how to establish your business as an LLC. Why an LLC?  Limited Liability Companies are one of several forms of business ownership. LLCs provide an advantage in that they can protect the individual owner(s) from personal liability. As the owner of a properly formed and operated LLC, you can be insulated from personal responsibility for business expenses or lawsuits. The LLC essentially creates a buffer between you and your business. If your business begins to struggle with debt, for example, your personal property or savings can be protected, provided you hav...