Recent Blog Posts
Officials Found Linked To Drinking Water Crisis Face Criminal Prosecution
At this point, most-everyone has heard about what happened in Flint, Michigan concerning the lead-contaminated water crisis; however, many might still be surprised that the officials behind the decision-making process that led to the crisis are being prosecuted for crimes (in addition to losing their jobs as officials). As of this month, at least… Read More »
Bergen County Judge Weighs Probable Cause For Criminal Complaint against Governor Christie
During the week of February 9th, a Bergen County municipal court judge is supposed to consider new evidence and rule as to whether probable cause exists with regard to a criminal complaint alleging that New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie committed official misconduct during the 2013 George Washington Bridge lane closures. The criminal complaint was… Read More »
Justices Hear Case on When Immigrants Can Be Deported For Crimes
President Trump’s recent rules on immigration have sparked controversy, protests, and litigation recently, only a few days after the Supreme Court considered how broad the government’s authority is in terms of deporting immigrants who have been convicted of “serious crimes.” The question is ultimately part of a bigger picture concerning the administration’s definition of… Read More »
“When Does Self-Defense Become Criminal?”
On January 17th, the Argus Leader featured an interesting story on one man who now faces more than decade in prison for what some would label self-defense. In this particular case, two men involved were engaged in a fight in a public parking lot, when one of the men allegedly reached into his truck… Read More »
New York Agrees To Pay $75 Million to Settle Lawsuit over Illegal Summonses Lacking Probable Cause
On January 23rd, New York City’s Law Department agreed to pay $75 million to settle a federal class-action lawsuit accusing the city’s Police Department of issuing close to one million criminal summons which were without any legal justification over the course of eight years (thus far). Specifically, a federal judge found that “probable cause… Read More »
It Could Become a Crime to Declaw Cats in New Jersey
On January 23rd, New Jersey State lawmakers will vote on whether to send Governor Christie a bill that would make it illegal for veterinarians to declaw cats in the state; a procedure known as onychectomy. Specifically, although there would be exceptions for medical purposes, any veterinarians (or anyone else) found engaging in the practice,… Read More »
New Jersey’s Push to Legalize Sports Betting Highlights Interesting Constitutional Questions
January 17th marked the deadline for when the U.S. Supreme Court was to decide whether or not it would hear the state of New Jersey’s appeal on legalizing sports betting within state borders. Yet, instead of making the official decision, the Court instead announced that it would wait for the U.S. Solicitor General to… Read More »
Guilt by Association: Can People Be Charged with A Spouse’s Crimes?
On January 17th, the New York Times featured an article on the criminal prosecution of Noor Zahi Salman, the wife of the man who opened fire at a nightclub in Orlando last year, killing 49 people. Seven months after the nightclub incident, Salman is now being prosecuted under anti- terrorism laws as a result… Read More »
Criminal Conspiracy Charges Brought Against Volkswagen
On January 7th, the FBI arrested Volkswagen executive Oliver Schmidt for conspiracy charges related to the company’s diesel vehicle performance on emissions tests; specifically, conspiracy to defraud the United States. The arrest is part of a broader criminal investigation into the company’s efforts to convince regulators that excess emissions were caused by technical issues… Read More »
In The U.S., Being Homeless Has Become a Crime
In the latest news detailing what many are calling a huge injustice, the homeless are now being given citations by police officers for setting up camp in abandoned lots; lots that are, in many cities like New York, the only places the homeless have to go. According to the federal government, more than 30… Read More »
