Handling a DUI Stop: Your Comprehensive Guide to Comply and Protect Your Rights

June 1, 2023
It is important to know your rights during a traffic stop, including when you are required to comply and when you can say no.
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Why Herman Watson Teaches Pro Bono Constitutional Rights Workshops

May 8, 2023
A constitutional rights workshop is a type of educational program that focuses on teaching participants about their rights as outlined in the Constitution. Herman Watson focuses on the right to remain silent and be free from unreasonable search and seizure.
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Hiring an Out of County Attorney

May 2, 2023
We get people calling from all over Montana, places like Flathead County, Lewis and Clark County, and Yellowstone County. They ask to speak to one of us, so they can hire an "out of county attorney" to address community bias or other local concerns.
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A "Gentle Rain" - Unveiling the Power of Compassion and Forgiveness in the Criminal Justice System

April 24, 2023
Mercy and forgiveness have a time-tested and long-celebrated place in the civilized approach to criminal justice, dating back to the times of Shakespeare and Christ.
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What Constitutes a DUI in Montana?

April 17, 2023
Most charges labeled "DUI" (or "DWI" in some states) actually fall into three categories: driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs, driving over the limit of either .08 for alcohol or 5 ng/ml for marijuana, or being in actual physical control of a vehicle while under the influence.
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Letter to the Editor - Gallatin County Needs a Criminal Diversion Program

May 21, 2022
Watson Law Office calls for a workable criminal diversion program to protect first time offenders from a permanent record conviction.
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Letter to the Editor - Gallatin County Courts Bond

October 31, 2021
Watson Law Office supports the Gallatin County Courts bond.
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Choosing the Best DUI Lawyer

April 11, 2023
Key Qualities to Look for in a DUI Attorney: Expertise, NHTSA SFSTs Certification, and Criminal Trial Law Practice
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Beyond Our Mistakes: Embracing the Complexity of Our True Selves

April 4, 2023
Recognizing that we are more than our biggest mistakes is essential for fostering a compassionate and understanding society.
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From the Rugged Terrain of Endurance Racing to the Courtroom

March 22, 2023
"Endurance racing, like criminal defense law, requires a strategic approach, resilience in the face of challenges, and the ability to stay focused on the ultimate goal."
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Dateline NBC: At the bottom of the lake featuring Chuck Watson

January 3, 2019
Chuck Watson has been featured on Dateline NBC: At the bottom of the lake. The story is about a pilot that flees a deadly plane crash, and becomes a fugitive living a double life for decades. He was arrested and ended up hiring Chuck. To view the episode, click the link below:
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“Am I Free to Go?”

September 9, 2016
If you are stopped, questioned, pulled over, or your movement is otherwise restricted by a show of authority (e.g., words, physical force, threat of physical force, or show of badge or gun), I advise you to utter these five magic words. Simply put, if you feel like you’re being detained, ask: “Am I
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On Medical Marijuana: United States v. McIntosh (9th Circuit Court of Appeals)

September 9, 2016
On August 16, 2016, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit, which includes Montana, ruled in favor of medical marijuana providers in United States v. Macintosh. At issue was the prosecution of a number of medical marijuana providers and dispensaries in California and Washington und
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I Got Pulled Over... Now, What?

June 30, 2016
One of the more frequently asked questions in my line of work is also one of the easiest to answer because the response to being pulled over is pretty formulaic. That is to say, whether you’re stopped for speeding, drunk driving, or no reason at all, you may respond to the officer in the same manner
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Civil Suit Settlements: How Much of My Settlement Do I Keep?

May 10, 2016
When we obtain a judgment or negotiate a settlement on behalf of a client, the question of how much a client can keep almost always comes up. Depending on attorneys’ fees and expenses, a client may be left with 40% to 60% of the settlement amount. This is not the end of the story. If some of the cli
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Defendant in Crash that Killed Fiancé Reaches Plea Deal in Virginia City Trial

June 6, 2013
A Utah man accused of vehicular homicide while under the influence in a crash that resulted in the death of his fiancé accepted a plea bargain and received probation Wednesday in Virginia City District Court.The plea agreement came minutes after Louis Schardine, 29, took the stand in his own defense
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American Board of Criminal Lawyers Releases Documentary

June 6, 2013
Chuck is a full fellow and sits on the Board of Governors of the American Board of Criminal Lawyers. The American Board of Criminal Lawyers was founded in June 1978 by San Francisco attorney Nathan Cohn, who conceived the idea of an exclusive national, legal, honorary society for outstanding crimina
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Vehicular homicide trial starts - Accused disputes he was driver at time of wreck

June 6, 2013
Louis Schardine, 29, is charged with the death of a woman in a single-vehicle accident that occurred the morning of Aug. 14, 2010, on Highway 287, about three miles south of Ennis.According to Madison County Attorney Chris Christensen, Schardine drove and lost control of a 2001 Ford F-350 after he h
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Misunderstanding Lawyers' Ethics

May 19, 2011
The title of Daniel Markovits’s book, A Modern Legal Ethics, gives the impression that it is a comprehensive treatise on contemporary lawyers’ ethics. The contents of the book, however, are both more limited and more expansive than the title suggests. Markovits’s treatment of lawyers’ ethics concern
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Judge Ends Owl Lounge Theft Trial

April 13, 2011
A District Court judge Thursday dismissed a case against a Livingston woman accused of embezzling from Livingston’s Owl Lounge.“This is ridiculous,” Sixth Judicial District Court Judge Nels Swandal said after prosecutors rested their case against Melissa Jean Reed, 37. “The court’s adjourned, case d
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BozemanTalks.com featuring Chuck Watson

June 15, 2008
Read a recent post and comments on BozemanTalks.com, A Fine Example of Montanas "NEW JUSTICE" , which features Chuck Watson.
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Grateful Shed Acquitted Of Selling Drug Paraphernalia

July 29, 2010
One owner of the Grateful Shed charged with selling illegal drug paraphernalia from his Four Corners store was acquitted Wednesday. Steve Andriakos was acquitted by a U.S. District Court judge in Butte after three days of testimony, defense attorney Chuck Watson said. “It’s been our position all alo
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Chuck Watson is One of the Area's Most Prolific Criminal Lawyers

November 29, 1998
The plaques on the wall are carefully arranged. Newspaper clippings, mounted and framed, line another portion of the office. And when Chuck Watson speaks in his slow, Southern voice, his words are meticulously chosen.Watson is just as deliberate in the courtroom. A criminal defense attorney with a p
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Bozeman, MT 59715
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