Many additions to the federal Constitution and prior court rulings help protect those accused of crimes. Every person in the United States has specific legal rights when the police investigate them or arrest them. The average person may only have a basic understanding...
Medical care providers, not patients, are the biggest source of fraud
Health care fraud, including insurance fraud, costs government programs like Medicaid and Medicare millions of dollars a year. Many people think of patients who don't actually qualify to receive benefits as the big source of fraud risk in the modern medical system....
How social media affects criminal defense
If you have recently been arrested on criminal charges, you will have the opportunity to defend yourself and argue that you are innocent. However, when doing this, there will be a team of prosecutors to find evidence of your guilt. They may be able to gather...
Collateral Consequences of a Criminal Conviction
A criminal conviction may have an impact in a person's life even after the person has served their sentence and resumed living a law-abiding life. Beyond the social impact of having a criminal record, a conviction can have a number collateral consequences that can...
What to Do if There is a Warrant Out for Your Arrest
Being arrested on a warrant can be an unsettling event. Moreover, having the police knock urgently on your door and demand entry, often in the early morning hours, can not only be disturbing, but dangerous, to you and your family. The police are wary about who they...
The Supreme Court Holds That Evidence Obtained After an Illegal Stop May Be Admissible
In an unfortunate turn, the United States Supreme Court recently held that evidence obtained as a result of an illegal police stop may not have to be suppressed in a subsequent trial of the person who is stopped. This decision broadens the exceptions to the general...
Intoxication as a Defense
When some people have had too much to drink or were under the influence of drugs, they say that they were "not themselves." That is, that any actions they took while in an intoxicated state were influenced by the drugs or alcohol, and were not something they would...
Immunity From Prosecution When Testifying
Cooperating with law enforcement officials during a criminal investigation can sometimes lead to an offer of immunity. If the person cooperating could also be charged with a crime based on the information provided to law enforcement officials, a grant of immunity can...
Interacting With Police Officers During an Arrest
Sometimes police arrests do not go smoothly, and people get hurt or die while in police custody. With this issue gaining national attention, it is not uncommon for people to pull out cell phones and start recording when the police try to arrest their friends, family...
Constructive Possession Drug Charges
Drug possession charges can lead to many years in prison if a person is convicted under New York's drug laws. While this result may seem clear cut when the charged person is arrested in actual possession of the drugs, it may be more confusing to hear of a person's...