There's been quite a bit of furor in the news these days over some recent presidential pardons and commutations. Both of those actions fall under the category of post-conviction relief. Here's what you should know about the differences between having your sentence commuted and getting a pardon, as they are not the same thing.
Florida loses another round on felon voting law
In Florida, a felony conviction has historically meant the end of your ability to vote -- a restriction that hails back to Jim Crow-era laws and tends to affect black voters disproportionally.
What causes people to embezzle?
Embezzlement is a very specific type of crime. Unlike ordinary theft or burglary, embezzlement requires you to be part of an organization and in a relatively trusted role. That generally only happens when you've been in a position of authority inside a company for some time.
What is federal supervised release?
If you're convicted of a federal crime and sentenced to jail, you'll almost assuredly serve a period of "supervised release" after you are done. It's important to understand how what this means so that you know what to expect in your future.
Internet attack that went virtually unnoticed gets prison term
A 33-year-old Akron, Ohio, man just found out the hard way that you can get in serious trouble for an internet crime -- even if you weren't very good at it.
What is a charge of public corruption?
The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) considers public corruption to be a top investigative priority -- but what exactly is it? Why is public corruption so important for the federal government to pursue?
Does it matter if you didn't know something was illegal?
You've probably heard the phrase, "Ignorance of the law is no excuse," a time or two in your life. Detectives and investigators certainly like to repeat it often enough when they want to take a hard-line approach to a potential defendant.
Criminal prosecutions of immigration crimes are increasing
In large part, the current presidential administration has set the official tone and the message is clear: Immigration crimes are to be pursued aggressively by federal prosecutors. It probably surprises nobody that 2018 saw a significant increase in people being arrested and prosecuted for what would have once been considered minor immigration offenses (like entering the country illegally).
Called before a federal grand jury? Get legal assistance
Federal prosecutors have a unique tool at their disposal for gathering evidence from both witnesses and suspects. It's called a grand jury.
Career counterfeiter sentenced for new scam
Here's an important tip that any would-be counterfeiter might want to consider before they actually commit the crime: If you're already planning your defense before you get caught, it may be time to stop.
