Monthly Archives: May 2025
Could You Get Immunity Instead of Facing Criminal Charges?
Most people are familiar with the 5th Amendment of the Constitution, which provides protections against self-incrimination. Essentially, a person can’t be forced to share information that is directly incriminating, or that could lead police or prosecutors to later discover incriminating evidence. It’s a big deal for anyone who’s been arrested, because clearly, as a… Read More »
What You Should Know About the Alien Enemies Act
One of the first workplace raids of the new administration took place in Newark, New Jersey. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) detained multiple individuals—citizens as well as undocumented individuals—even though they did not have a warrant. The city’s mayor claimed it to be a clear violation of the Fourth Amendment to the Constitution, which… Read More »
What are Your Rights When it Comes to Public Protesting?
If you are anxious to exercise your 1st Amendment right to express yourself by participating in a public protest, it’s important to know that the government—usually through the police— is permitted to put some restrictions on what you’re allowed to do. Being familiar with the legal expectations can help you avoid trouble with the… Read More »
When DV Survivors Wind Up Behind Bars
It shouldn’t surprise us to learn that many of the women in prison who’ve been convicted of murder or manslaughter were previously victims of intimate partner violence. In one such case, a woman stabbed a former boyfriend after months of stalking. In another, a woman killed her partner, who’d repeatedly raped and beaten her… Read More »
Can Confidential and/or Jailhouse Informants be Trusted?
Police use confidential informants (CIs) and jailhouse snitches to gather information and put suspects behind bars all the time. Unfortunately, there are some real problems with the practice: There are no good mechanisms in place to figure out if an informant (or a police officer) is being untruthful; Informants have incentives to lie; Police… Read More »
