The U.S. judicial system is anything but simple, and knowing your rights when fighting a state or federal case is important. You can be charged with a crime by the state government, the federal government, or both. Continue reading “Know your rights when fighting a state or federal case”
Constitution – Robert Boule owns a bed and breakfast along the border between Washington State and Canada, which is cheekily named the “Smuggler’s Inn.” It’s a business that has a fairly shady reputation. Continue reading “Supreme Court could make it very easy for federal law enforcement to violate the Constitution”
Federal prosecutors around the country are increasingly using racketeering statutes to go after a broader array of criminal activity, applying them in ways that deviate from the law’s original goal of dismantling organized crime. Continue reading “Prosecutors Are Using a Law Intended for the Mob in Unexpected Cases”
Jessica Reznicek could’ve gotten away with disassembling bits and pieces of the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) in Iowa and South Dakota in 2016 and 2017, slicing through metal with an oxyacetylene cutting welding torch in broad daylight without detection; but eluding the law wasn’t her primary purpose. Continue reading “Activists Are Using the “Climate Necessity Defense” in Court”
President Joe Biden, in his first address to Congress, pressed lawmakers to send him a massive police criminal justice reform bill in the name of George Floyd by May 25 — the one-year anniversary of his murder. Continue reading “States make headway on criminal justice reform after Congress falls short”
This year was an eventful one for access to justice in the United States. An eviction crisis and extreme weather events engulfed the nation. Voting restrictions and gerrymandering spurred a wave of lawsuits. And a chaotic end to America’s longest war created a sudden refugee crisis. Meanwhile, the legalization of cannabis in several states created new opportunities. Continue reading “5 Matters That Shaped Access To Justice In 2021”
If a person attempts to commit a robbery but does not succeed, is the attempt alone a “crime of violence”? On Tuesday, the Supreme Court will delve into that question in United States v. Taylor, the latest in a string of cases asking the justices to narrow federal definitions of violent crimes. Continue reading “Botched robbery leads to latest test of what constitutes “crime of violence””
In the past several years, state legislatures across the country have passed anti-protest laws designed to curb the rights of political protesters and increase their exposure to criminal penalties. Continue reading “State Anti-Protest Laws and Their Constitutional Implications”
Criminal profiling and its role in law enforcement – As far back as the late 19th century, investigators used psychology to understand and attempt to apprehend infamous killers such as Jack the Ripper. Continue reading “Criminal profiling and its role in law enforcement”