Dorothy Varallo-Speckeen thought she was volunteering to help solve a child-abuse case when she walked into the police interrogation room in 2013. She learned quickly, however, that she was Detective Marcella O’Brien’s prime suspect. O’Brien believed that Varallo-Speckeen was guilty of breaking the legs of the 15-month-old girl she was babysitting, though Varallo-Speckeen swore that …
Category: Legal
A Push to Restrict Courtroom Identifications and End Wrongful Convictions
The age-old courtroom move of asking a key witness if he sees the person who committed the crime in the room is slowly being fazed out of the judicial process. Both Massachusetts and Connecticut have put limitations on using courtroom identifications as an approach in trials. The Connecticut Supreme Court ruled that a witness cannot …
I got an OWI drunk driving…what now?
When an individual is arrested for OWI in the state of Iowa, there are processes you need to be aware of, and different variables that could affect the outcome. If this is your first-offense, the following information may give you some idea of your next steps: Under Iowa law, you are not legally obligated to …
You Have the Right to Record the Police
North Carolina criminal defense attorney, Jesse Bright, was pulled over on February 26th while driving for Uber to make some extra money. Bright began recording the exchange as soon as the police officer walked up to his window. The officer, Sgt. Kenneth Becker, claimed that Bright was not allowed to record him. When Bright argued …
Never Talk to the Police
You have the right to remain silent, but there are better ways to exercise that right than others. A 2013 ruling by the Supreme Court, Salinas v. Texas, states that choosing to remain silent can be used against you in the court of law if you do not formally assert your Fifth Amendment privilege. This ruling …
Chemerinsky: The best, worst and most surprising SCOTUS opinions of 2015
Erwin Chemerinsky is the Dean of the School of Law at University of California, Irvine. He provided his thoughts on the most notable U.S. Supreme Court opinions in 2015. In the past, Chemerinsky has been critical of the Supreme Court, as chronicled in his book, “The Case Against the Supreme Court.” He discusses and explains the most …
SUPREME COURT: COPS CAN ENTER HOME WITHOUT WARRANT
The Supreme Court on a 6-3 vote is choosing to allow police officers to enter homes without a warrant. “When occupants of a residence disagree on whether they will admit police without a warrant, the objecting occupant must be physically present. That doesn’t change if police have removed the objector…”. Although their was a majority vote supporting …
152 Innocents, Marked for Death
Over the past 42 years, someone on death row has been exonerated, on average, every three months. …
Learn More About Drunk Driving Defense
Have you or has someone you know been arrested for drunk driving? If you are unaware of the legal processes that take place or how to defend yourself then it is likely you are looking for help. In the modern world, it is hard to trust everything you see online. Sites are constantly trying to …
Need a Legal Document?
Preparing a legal document can be a daunting task for most people. Ensuring that you cover all the necessary situations in a contract can be difficult if you are not a certified lawyer. Legaldocs will help you, for this service provides legal documentation for anything from a rental application to a bill of sale. This can …