Criminal Law

Criminal Law is the name given to the branch of law that governs an individual's relationship to the state. It includes the definitions of criminal offenses, which are usually established by Congress or state legislatures. The term "criminal law" also encompasses the rights of an accused and the criminal process, including arrest, arraignment, grand juries, pleas, discovery, pretrial hearings, trials, jury selection, evidence, motions, and posttrial remedies. The main purpose of the criminal law is to set forth the punishment for criminal offenses. In order to prove any crime, no matter how serious, the prosecutor must prove that the accused committed a guilty act with a guilty mind beyond a reasonable doubt. Please read on to find a criminal defense attorney, criminal lawyer, criminal attorney or to learn more about criminal law.

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      Legal articles focusing on Criminal Law
      Unlawful Vehicle Searches & Seizures
      Cars and vehicles are often searched by the police in situations ranging from traffic violations to more serious crimes. Examine issues such as the circumstances in which a search is lawful or unlawful, as well as what can be seized or taken from the car and if it can be used against you at trial.
      Driver's Licenses and Point Systems
      The most common basis for driver's license suspension or revocation is the accumulation of too many points under a point system. Points are assigned against a driver according to the nature of the violation. State laws vary as to whether suspension or revocation is mandatory or discretionary.
      Driving Deaths and Murder
      Sometimes, vehicular homicide- when a person is killed by a driver's car- will be prosecuted by the state as "murder." However, often there are various types, or "degrees," of murder, which usually depend upon the driver's state of mind, or "intent.
      When a Driver's Actions Amount to Manslaughter
      Vehicular homicide, which is the crime of using a car to kill another human being, is usually prosecuted by the State as "manslaughter," which can be either "voluntary" or "involuntary." If faced with such a charge, is it critical that you understand what is necessary to...
      Vehicular Homicide Laws and the Unborn Child
      Vehicular homicide, which is the crime of using a car to kill another human being, is usually prosecuted by the State as "manslaughter," which can be either "voluntary" or "involuntary." If faced with such a charge, is it critical that you understand what is necessary to...
      Ask a Lawyer - Criminal Law questions answered by leading lawyers
      How Do I Get a Bench Warrant Vacated?
      How can I get a bench warrant vacated?
      Does A Misdemeanor Domestic Violence Conviction Affect My Hunting Privileges?
      Is it true that if convicted of misdemeanor domestic violence you lose your hunting privileges for life?
      What Will an Expungement of My Record Mean?
      I was charged with a misdemeanor a year ago, it was recently expunged. I will soon be applying to medical school. Will they be able to see the record of expungement? Does it matter that the incident occurred in a different state?
      Do I Need A Lawyer If I Failed A Drug Test On Probation?
      If you violate probation by testing positive for marijuana, should you hire a lawyer to go to the probation hearing?
      Can I Be Prosecuted In Both State And Federal Court?
      What if someone is on a state case as well as a federal case? The state case involves drug and gun possession. The charges in the federal case are attempted extortion and conspiracy to commit extortion. Can he be sentenced in both places and get two jail sentences?

      due process clause

      a clause in a constitution prohibiting the government from depriving a person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law

      Bench warmers; The Supreme Court will hear less politically charged cases in the term that begins today.

      Today begins the third full term of a U.S. Supreme Court transformed by President Bush's appointments of Chief Justice John G.

      Federal judge says commercial general liability policy didn't cover award for home repairs

      A building contractor's insurance policy does not cover the amounts an arbitrator awarded to a Sparks couple for faulty home construction, a federal judge...

      Verdicts & Settlements October 6, 2008: Family settles for $75K federal vaccination lawsuit

      A Springfield attorney reached a $75,000 settlement in a federal claims lawsuit in which his client went temporarily blind because of a reaction from vaccinations...

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