Effective December 1, 2013, the following Class 1 or Class 2 misdemeanors are re-classified to Class 3 misdemeanors or misdemeanors to infractions:
Court rules warrant for cellphone is unconstitutionally broad
If the police suspect you of a crime, is that enough to justify a warrant to search your home for whatever cellphones and electronic devices you may own? No, it's not, according to a recent federal appeals court decision. If they could, that would open the homes of all suspects to extensive searches, which would be unconstitutional.
DOJ restarts work on validating suspect forensic techniques
In 2015, the FBI revealed the results of its review of hundreds of cases, dating back decades, in which members of its hair analysis unit had testified. In at least 90 percent of the cases, the FBI was forced to admit that its analysts had overstated the strength of evidence involving microscopic hair analysis. Unfortunately, hair analysis is not the only forensic science technique that has been challenged as either unscientific or less reliable than previously thought.
Despite bipartisan concerns, Sessions urges more civil forfeiture
Attorney General Jeff Sessions has made another policy announcement, again to the dismay of criminal justice reformers and civil rights advocates. Speaking at a meeting of the National District Attorneys Association this week, he said he would again allow federal law enforcement agencies to take hold of property seized by local law enforcement.
How criminal charges can affect your medical license
Facing criminal charges is no walk in the park for anyone. Licensed professionals such as doctors can suffer from additional repercussions if a conviction ensues.
Should police be relinquishing control of body camera videos?
What we've got here, states a recent NPR news report, is "an ocean of video," coupled with the urgently outstanding question of who should be in charge of controlling its content and dissemination.
This is why criminal defense attorneys are serious about their work
We'll cut straight to the point regarding the above headline in today's blog post, with this response: People in North Carolina and across the country are accused by authorities every day of criminal behavior that they did not commit. Or, alternatively, there are extenuating circumstances surrounding their criminal charge.
Opinion: no way reliance on algorithms promotes criminal justice
Although the oft-referenced rationale regarding the increasing use of one criminal justice system tool might be understandable -- and even commendable -- says a commentator in a recent online opinion piece, that doesn't make the growing practice right.
Can police find criminal evidence on your social media accounts?
Social media is central to communication, social interaction and business promotion today. While these tools can benefit your social life and business success, they can also hurt you if you do not use them correctly.
Can the public get a break? Selling your online info to the police
Although scores of millions of people across the country likely still operate on the Internet without much regard to third-party eyes that might be watching their viewing/posting behavior, most of us know by now that some aspect of Big Brother has long been in play in the online realm.
