For non-citizen residents of the United States and undocumented persons, entering a plea of guilty to even a minor criminal offense can have very harsh immigration consequences, including loss of the ability to obtain a favorable immigration status or citizenship—and even deportation. The law requires attorneys to advise their clients regarding any such possible immigration
Former federal supervisory probation officer Dewayne Kelley accepted judicial diversion last week after being charged with criminally negligent homicide. In February Kelley crashed his car into the Tomato Head restaurant in Knoxville, killing a 58-year-old woman. Kelley was not under the influence of drugs or alcohol, but prosecutors considered his behavior “criminally negligent” because he