Plea bargains are very common in the American legal system. Approximately 90% of all cases end in such a deal. Nonetheless, you shouldn’t take a plea deal just because it’s the norm. The decision to accept or reject a plea bargain is a personal one. In this post, we...
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Criminal Defense
Can the police search my car after they pull me over?
The Constitution grants us essential rights that protect us from unreasonable searches and police overreach and abuse. However, it’s essential for you to know what your rights are, so that you can recognize when they are being violated. Under what circumstances is a...
Should doctors who run ‘pill mills’ go to jail for dealing drugs?
If a doctor intentionally accepted money in order to prescribe otherwise illegal drugs that were not medically necessary, he or she might be in serious trouble with the law. But what if the doctor genuinely thought the drugs were medically necessary? And what if they...
The risk of computer crimes charges is high
With technology advancing nearly every day, the risks online increase as well. Many people might see the risk in social media, and how it affects mental health or even behavior. However, the risk of crime – and criminal charges – seems to be rising as well. What...
What to know about exercising your Miranda rights after an arrest
If you have been placed in handcuffs or are no longer free to leave, you are under arrest. If you have been arrested, you want to do whatever is most likely to get you free. The temptation will be high to go along with what the police want. Most of the time people see...
Does a college student have a right to privacy on campus?
Going to college is an exciting transition in young people’s lives. For many of them, it is the first time they have lived away from home. The typical dorm rooms are small and cramped, and the RA is just down the hall, but it gives the students who live in them their...
Faulty forensic evidence causes 24% of wrongful convictions
The problem isn’t new. Experts have recognized for more than a decade that much of the forensic science we rely on in criminal cases is flawed or unreliable. In 2009, the National Research Council issued a report to the Justice Department, finding that a great deal of...
The adolescent brain: ‘A recipe for trouble’?
Part of the role of the criminal justice system is rehabilitation. It’s not all about punishment and revenge. The juvenile system is even more centered around rehabilitation than the adult criminal justice system, as our society has long recognized that juveniles are...
Facial recognition technology is here – and it isn’t always accurate
Law enforcement is increasingly using facial recognition technology to identify suspects who are caught on camera. It’s as if there were a perpetual lineup that includes every American. If you have a photo on file with the government – and you almost certainly do –...
How long until in-person court recovers in the face of the pandemic?
Defendants are starting to see trials now that the courts are resuming some in-person operations of the past. But do safety rules change what your day in court means? The Tennessee Supreme Court suspended many in-person court proceedings through the beginning of this...