Anyone connected to the death of another person could face criminal charges. Homicide is the legal term for circumstances in which one person causes the death of another. Some homicides lead to murder charges alleging that the defendant acted with malice and intended...
Month: March 2024
How a parent can be charged with child abduction or parental kidnapping
Parents often assume that they have an absolute right to make decisions about their children. They have a legal right to make crucial parenting decisions, but there are limitations to that right. When a parent consistently fails to act in the best interests of their...
Responding to insider trading allegations
Facing insider trading allegations is a daunting and stressful experience. Insider trading is a financial crime that occurs when an individual buys or sells a company’s securities such as stocks or bonds based on non-public, material information. This illegal act...
Two things you should know about insider trading
As the name suggests, insider trading involves trading in a public company’s stock or other securities by someone who has nonpublic material information about the company in question. Insider trading is legal if the insider reports the transaction to the Securities...
Should you take a lie detector test?
If you are being questioned about a crime, law enforcement agents may ask you to take a lie detector test. It may seem like the right thing to do, but, before making your decision, you should know some important facts. Some experts consider polygraphs “junk science”...
3 lies law enforcement officers may tell during questioning
You have probably seen enough movies and TV shows to believe that you shouldn’t speak with law enforcement unless you have your attorney present. That is one part of fiction that is true in real life—avoid police conversations without representation. Still, when...
What are mitigating factors in a criminal case?
Whether you have been convicted at trial or decided to plead guilty, your defense isn’t done. In fact, it may just be beginning. You can expect the prosecutor to offer some justification for making your sentence harsher, while your defense will focus on the...
California’s criminal threats law explained
The First Amendment protects us from government infringement of our right to free speech. But over the centuries, Congress, state legislatures and courts have carved out several exceptions, some of which can even land you in prison based on what you say or write....
What is the difference between tax evasion and avoidance?
Tax issues can land a person in legal hot water. Along with being financially penalized by the IRS, certain tax problems can also carry criminal punishments. Take the charge of tax evasion, for instance, which can carry severe penalties if convicted. If you have...
The role of face blindness in witness testimony in a criminal case
Witness testimony plays an important role in criminal cases, helping to establish the facts and determine the guilt or innocence of the accused. However, various factors influence the reliability of eyewitness testimony, including a condition known as face blindness....