Archive for the ‘Criminal Defense’ Category

Generally, criminal activity falls into one of two categories: “conventional crime” and “white collar crime.” When the average person thinks of criminal activity, what comes to mind first are probably conventional crimes — in other words, any criminal offense committed against another person, someone else’s property, or involving drugs. White collar crime is a commonly used term, believed to have been coined by a criminologist around 1939 who defined it as “a crime committed by a person of respectability and high social status in the course of his occupation.” It […]

Toy guns are not a new fad. Some might even say they’re as American as apple pie. Even if you’ve never played with a BB gun or water gun, your father or grandfather has likely relayed long, complicated games of Cops and Robbers from their childhood. Then there’s that famous line from the movie A Christmas Story: “You’ll shoot your eye out!” This often repeated phrase is in response to little Ralphie’s most sought-after Christmas wish: A Red Ryder Carbine Action 200-shot Range Model Air Rifle with a compass in […]

Recent national headlines have been following the story and recent federal jury conviction and death sentencing of Charleston church shooter, Dylann Roof. According to police and Roof’s own words during the trial, he is responsible for killing nine black people, acts committed in the hopes of starting a race war. Roof was facing the death penalty in federal court on 33 charges, including hate crimes, firearm use, and obstruction of religion. A second death penalty trial on nine murder charges is planned in South Carolina state court. While the accusations […]

In the United States, a suspect of a crime is legally presumed innocent of that crime until they have been proved guilty. Still, there are many who spend time in jail or who must pay money in the form of bail long before their cases are proven in court. The time between a person’s arrest and an actual trial can be significant, so taking advantage of Kentucky Pretrial Services is important. In most states, bail money can be gathered with the help of bail bondsmen, but this is not the case in […]

Each state has varying requirements in order for someone to serve on a state parole board. There are 52 parole boards in the United States. Once hired, selected or appointed to a parole board, members have distinct responsibilities in order to fulfill their jobs of deciding which felons will be released from prison early on parole and which will not. If a felon is convicted on the federal level, no parole option. (Parole in some areas of the United States, including the District of Columbia, was discontinued in 1987 for […]

We live in a society that thrives on sensationalism, where mere accusations are often equated with guilt, despite the legal principle that a person is innocent until proven guilty. The more sordid the alleged details, the harder it can be for the facts to sway the public’s mindset. Perhaps it’s just human nature to want to believe the worst in others, but wouldn’t it be better for society if we gave our fellow humans the benefit of the doubt? While it can hard to put blind faith in the legal […]

In a domestic violence case, there are a few types of protective orders that may be granted while the case is ongoing. The process can be intimidating if you do not understand what order was granted or why. It is vital that, throughout your case, you comply with the order and that you show up whenever you are due in court.   What type of order is this and what does it mean? There are several kinds of protective orders that may be issued in the wake of a domestic […]

Like every country, the United States has its bright spots and its sore ones. One major challenge the nation continues to struggle with is incarceration. We have the world’s highest incarceration rate, yet we are the only democracy that has no independent authority monitoring prison conditions and enforcing minimal standards of health and safety. The system is so fragmented that it is difficult to accurately determine just how many people are confined. Local jails, juvenile correctional facilities, state prisons, and federal prisons hold more than 2.2 million people and there […]