Criminal Defense
OWI vs. DUI in Indiana: What the difference means for you
Indiana does not use DUI as a legal charge — the state officially uses OWI. Here's what the distinction means for drivers facing intoxication charges.
Harper and Harper Legal Blog
Criminal Defense
What happens after a felony arrest in Indiana?
A felony arrest can move quickly through several legal stages. Understanding the typical process in Indiana may help you prepare for what happens next.
Criminal Defense
How can faulty sobriety tests wrongfully convict you in Indiana?
In Indiana, police officers pull over potentially drunk drivers and use field sobriety tests to check whether or not they are fit to drive. However,...
Firm News
Standing Between Allegation and Truth: How Harper & Harper Defends Clients Amid Public Scrutiny
When controversy plays out in the court of public opinion, facts can be drowned out by speculation, rumor, and online outrage. That reality is at the...
Criminal Defense
Things to Consider After an OWI in Indiana
Being pulled over and arrested for Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) can be a harrowing experience. Knowing how Indiana's OWI process works can help...
Personal Injury
Indiana Dog Bite Claims: Owner Liability and Victim Rights
Dog bites occur in homes, public areas and workplaces across South Indiana. If you experience a bite during routine activities, it can injure your...
Criminal Defense
5 Common Ways Innocent People End Up in Bars in Valparaiso
Wrongful convictions in Valparaiso are not rare. They cause lasting harm to individuals, families and communities. Police and prosecutors sometimes...
Firm News
Court of Appeals Reverses Restitution Order in Porter County Murder Case
The Indiana Court of Appeals has overturned a $5,000 restitution order imposed on Jordan Andrade, 26, who is serving a 60-year sentence for the October...
Firm News
Man Found Not Guilty of Battery at Region Moose Lodge
After deliberating for an hour over lunch, a local jury found a 30-year-old Chesterton man not guilty on a felony battery count stemming from an August...
Criminal Defense
5 Ways a Private Defense Lawyer Investigates Your Case
Reviewing police reports for errors and omissions Police paperwork forms the starting point for many prosecutions, yet mistakes often happen. One officer...
Criminal Defense
What Police Won't Tell You About OWI in Indiana
Getting arrested for Operating While Intoxicated (OWI) in Indiana can have serious consequences. You risk losing your license, damaging your record and...
Firm News
Case Dismissed: Defense Attorney Jesse Harper Secures Favorable Outcome
In a significant legal victory, defense attorney Jesse Harper successfully represented 62-year-old Michigan City resident John Newcomb in a high-profile...
Auto Accidents
What to Do Within the First 72 Hours of a Car Crash
In medicine, the "golden hour" marks the vital period after trauma where immediate care can be lifesaving. Similarly, car accident victims have a critical...
Firm News
Can These Car Safety Features Lead to an Accident?
Can these car safety features lead to an accident? To make driving safer, car manufacturers have implemented safety features in newer vehicles meant to...
Auto Accidents
7 hidden damages you can claim after a car crash in Indiana
Motor vehicle collisions can cause substantial property damage. People recognize that they may need compensation to repair their vehicles or buy...
Firm News
Valparaiso woman who had stroke wants to raise awareness, particularly for first responders
Attorney Jessica Smithey is representing Patricia Ingram in a potential case against the City of Valparaiso following an incident involving local law...
Firm News
Multiple personality claim throws wrench in Porter County rape case
A pending rape and child sex case in Porter Superior Court has encountered a new challenge as the alleged victim claims to have dissociative identity...
Auto Accidents
Assessing the Impact of Indiana's Hands-Free Law
In 2020, Indiana finally joined other states that had already enacted "hands-free" laws. This kind of law makes it illegal to hold a cellphone or other...
Firm News
Harper and Harper Successfully Challenges Multiple Convictions and Probation Terms
Criminal defense attorney James Harper of Harper & Harper, LLC secured several key victories for his client in the Indiana Court of Appeals, successfully...
Criminal Defense
Is an OWI Conviction Eligible for Expungement?
Any criminal conviction can affect a defendant for years. They may have to serve time in state custody. They may also have major financial costs ranging...
Firm News
Defense: Alleged victim of sexual abuse claiming 20 personalities; at least 1 doesn't remember allegations
In a complex legal case involving Wesley Duncan, accused of multiple sexual offenses against a minor, defense attorney Jesse Harper has introduced a...
Firm News
Pastor seeks to dump video of him allegedly battering child
Defense attorney Jesse Harper is challenging the admissibility of a surveillance video in a criminal case against Pastor Martin Burns, who is accused of...
Criminal Defense
What happens after an OWI conviction in Indiana?
Operating a vehicle while intoxicated (OWI) charges are common. Some drivers get arrested because they fail chemical tests after collisions. Others...
Auto Accidents
What are the 3 deadliest highways in Indiana?
Certain roads tend to host more crashes than others due to a variety of different factors. When rating how dangerous different roads are, safety experts...
Auto Accidents
What motorcycle riders need to know about crash statistics
Motorcycle riders are subject to different requirements than the average motorist. They need a special endorsement on their license to lawfully operate a...
Firm News
Juvenile injustice: Low-income families pay brunt of fees and fines that vary by county
A recent investigation by the University of Notre Dame's Gallivan Program in Journalism, Ethics, and Democracy, reported in the Indianapolis Star,...
Firm News
Crown Point woman sentenced to prison following third OWI and injuring fellow motorist
Alison Cook, a 34-year-old from Crown Point, received a prison sentence for her third OWI offense, leading to serious injuries for another motorist....
Firm News
Portage man sentenced in 'senseless' shooting over parking spot
In Valparaiso, Benjamin Altieri, a 33-year-old from Portage, was sentenced to a year of probation with a chance to reduce his felony charge to a...
Personal Injury
Who is liable for a slip-and-fall injury?
Being injured in a public location, such as a store or business office, can be a life-changing event. Victims of these incidents may decide to seek...
Criminal Defense
How expungement can benefit someone convicted of a crime in Indiana
A criminal record is a natural byproduct of a conviction or guilty plea in Indiana. The state reports arrests and convictions to those seeking information...
Firm News
Professional Accomplishments
Harper and Harper is thrilled to announce that our very own Jessica Smithey has been appointed as the President of the Porter County Bar Association...
Firm News
Porter judge says prosecutors can't pursue OWI case 4 years later
Defense attorney Jesse Harper successfully argued for his client Nicolas Hernandez's constitutional rights in a delayed OWI case. Harper emphasized that...
Firm News
Apparent filing error leads to 4-year delay in Porter County OWI arrest, motion to dismiss
Nicolas Hernandez, a 28-year-old U.S. Army veteran, found himself facing an alleged felony drunken driving charge dating back four years when he was...
Auto Accidents
3 Winter Driving Hazards Motorists Should Avoid
Crashes can occur at any point throughout the year in Indiana. Some of the most common risk factors for collisions include driver intoxication, excess speed...
Firm News
Portage man gets probation in 2022 rape case
Nathaniel Phebus, a 38-year-old resident of Portage, has been sentenced to probation and is required to register as a sex offender after admitting guilt...
Firm News
Winamac pastor charged with battering child at church day care after video appears online
Pastor Martin Burns of the Winamac Nazarene Church is facing charges after a video surfaced allegedly showing him kneeling on a 4-year-old boy's chest...
Criminal Defense
OWI enforcement is often higher in the fall and winter months
The shift from summer to winter in Indiana can be relatively dramatic. The trees put on their most colorful displays, and the days seem to shorten quite...