South Williamson is an unincorporated town in the Appalachian Mountains of northeastern Pike County, Kentucky, United States, borders with West Virginia. It is separated from Williamson, West Virginia by the Tug Fork River. The town is located 28 miles east of Pikeville, Kentucky and 28 miles southwest of Logan, West Virginia, and can be accessed via U.S. Route 119. South Williamson is protected by a floodwall, built by the US Army Corps of Engineers in response to a devastating flood along the Tug Fork River in 1977. There have only been two uses of the gates thus far, the first occurred in 2002 during a major flood in the region. And the second occurred in 2003, due to anticipation of the rising river getting higher. Notably, in the late 19th century, Pike County and bordering Mingo County, West Virginia provided the setting for the Hatfield-McCoy feud, a bitter feud waged between two feuding families between 1878 and 1891 that has permeated into American History. South Williamson is home to the South Side Mall which is the only mall in the area. The local economy is largely fueled by coal mining, transportation, health care, and retail.

What is criminal defense law?

In a criminal case, the state, through a prosecutor, initiates the suit, while in a civil case the victim brings the suit. Persons convicted of a crime may be incarcerated, fined, or both. Criminal defense attorneys represent clients who have been accused of committing a crime, and defend their rights at each stage of a misdemeanor or felony case -- from an arrest to an appeal after conviction. Criminal defense attorneys may be hired privately or provided by the government (called "public defenders").

Answers to criminal defense law issues in Kentucky

The Fourth Amendment of the Constitution says that you have a right to be free of unreasonable police searches and...

The general criteria for making an arrest is what is referred to as probable cause. Probable cause arises when there...

There are two different types of warrants that may be issued:

  • arrest warrants - an order issued by a...

The Miranda decision relates specifically to the rights of a criminal suspect after he has been detained by the...

Bail is typically set by a magistrate or a judge who considers the seriousness of the offense and the likelihood of...

Early in the course of a criminal proceeding, the defendant will be brought into court and the charges brought...

At any point during this process the defendant may plead guilty to the charge leveled against him or her. Likewise,...

Criminal offenses can be divided into two general categories:

  • ­felonies -- a crime for which a person...

The distinguishing feature of criminal law is the element of punishment. The purpose of criminal law is to punish...

There are several defenses that can be raised in a criminal case. The defenses listed here are a sampling of those...

Federal court opinions concerning criminal defense law in Kentucky