May 26
When an officer of the law is slapping cuffs on your wrist or peppering you with questions at a police department, it can be extremely frightening. It's a good idea to know exactly what you're entitled to do under the law to protect yourself. That means understanding your constitutional right to stay quiet and using it when the time comes. If you've been accused of a crime—even if you've just been stopped by a traffic cop!—do yourself (and your attorney) a favor and follow these steps: read more
May 10
In the modern age, surveillance cameras are practically everywhere. And while it's debatable whether cameras make for good crime deterrents, the fact is that many court cases include video surveillance footage as evidence. But even if you've been allegedly caught on camera, technicalities and other mitigating factors may lead to your case being dismissed. Here are a few examples of situations where video evidence wasn't enough to convict. read more
Apr 20
We've all seen episodes of Law & Order where a medical professional is asked to examine a brain scan and determine if the defendant is innocent or guilty based on it—but do biological defenses, wherein the accused's body, rather than their motives, are put on trial, actually appear in the courtroom? read more
Apr 08
When entertainment media tries to tackle complex subjects like the law, they often get it wrong. It's not their fault—most lawyers couldn't write a comedy pilot, either—but it does mean that when a television show about a lawyer actually gets some things right, it's worth taking note. read more
Mar 23
When a person shows clear signs of substance abuse issues, prison can be the worst possible place for them. Instead, a judge may choose an alternate sentence, like work release or another type of diversion. Ankle monitors, in addition to being a fairly common plot device in television and films, are also a possible avenue. However, their representation in the media is, unsurprisingly, not always 100% accurate. read more
