When a defendant decides to choose a jury trial over a bench trial, where the case is heard by a judge only, jury selection becomes very important to the outcome of the trial. The defense is required to follow certain procedures in selecting, and excluding,...
Have You Been Charged With A Serious Crime?
Criminal Law
Murder By Extension: The Felony Murder Rule
It may seem unbelievable that a person can go to prison for murder when the authorities know that a different person killed the deceased and these facts are presented to the jury. However, it is possible for a person under certain circumstances to be legally charged...
New York State and Revenge Porn
There have been many reports of people's intimate and explicit videos being shared online without their knowledge or consent. The videos and photographs have been of both celebrities and everyday people, and there are even websites dedicated to hosting these videos...
Predicate Felonies And Sentence Enhancement
A person's criminal history often impacts many areas of his or her life, and especially has the ability to negatively affect future criminal proceedings and sentencing against the person. A first-time offender does not often receive the same sentence as a person who...
Seeking Medical Help During a Drug or Alcohol Overdose
Seeking Medical Help During a Drug or Alcohol Overdose The fear of being arrested and charged with a criminal offense can keep some people from seeking assistance when they or their friends are suffering from a drug overdose. It becomes a hard choice to weigh...
The Injustice of a Wrongful Conviction
A documentary on a man currently serving a life sentence for the 2005 murder of a woman has led to about half a million petitions for the man's release based on the belief that he is innocent of the crime. Perhaps part of what makes this particular story so...
Presenting Factors in Your Favor to Reduce Sentencing
Presenting Factors in Your Favor to Reduce Sentencing After a defendant is convicted of a crime, his sentence is often still not cast in stone. Unless the court has made a sentencing commitment as part of a plea bargain, the defendant's sentence could range...
The Sale of Firearms Under Federal Law
The Sale of Firearms Under Federal Law According to Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) statistics, there were sixteen active shooter incidents per year in the United States between the years 2009 and 2012. These have included fatal shootings in movie...
Seeking Employment After a Criminal Conviction
Having a criminal record can be a great barrier to obtaining gainful employment. People can be wary of hiring employees with criminal records because they do not find them trustworthy or because they are afraid that their customers would object if they knew that the...
Federal Prosecution for Seeking Re-Entry into the United States
United States immigration policies have been scrutinized in the media in the lead up to the 2016 presidential elections. Most of the discussions have revolved around the action or inaction of the federal government when it comes to deporting people who come into the...