Law & Information
NEW LAW PROHIBITS SALE OF INFORMATION
In an attempt to make life just a little harder for tabloid publications and scandal sheets, the legislature has enacted a law that makes it a misdemeanor crime for a peace officer, court employee, or attorney employed by a public agency, to "[d]isclose[] for financial gain, information obtained in the course of a criminal investigation, the disclosure of which is prohibited by law" or who "[s]olicits, for financial gain, the…
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INVOLUNTARY PSYCHIATRIC HOLDS IN CALIFORNIA
A recent incident involving pop singer Brittany Spears brought to the public's attention section 5150 of the Welfare and Institutions Code – the statutory procedure for involuntarily committing an individual to a mental health facility. Under the law, if a certain designated professional, such as a law enforcement officer, or mental health professional, believes that a person is, as a result of a mental disorder, either, a danger to him…
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HANG UP AND DRIVE – PART II
Effective July 1, 2008, minors (i.e., persons under age 18) in California will not be permitted to use any cellular telephone or other "mobile service device" such as a laptop computer, or text messaging device while driving a motor vehicle. Under the law, a minor may not use a cellular telephone while driving, even if the telephone is equipped with a "hands-free" device. Violation of the law is an infraction…
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HANG UP AND DRIVE
At least that will be the law in California starting July 1, 2008. From that date, it will be illegal for anyone to drive a motor vehicle and use a cellular telephone unless the phone is equipped with a hands-free device, and the hands-free device is used by the driver. Anyone caught violating this law is subject to a fine of $20 for a first offense and, on a second…
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Cops Aren’t Always Right
Do you assume that a cop must be telling the truth or must be abiding by all of the laws just because they are a cop? This is certainly not the case! Time and time again we see cops who do not follow the laws that they took an oath to uphold and in turn violate the constitutional rights that every single American has! They do it for a variety…
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THINK “SCIENTIFIC” EVIDENCE IS ROCK SOLID AND UNIMPEACHABLE?
Ask John Jerome White. He might have a somewhat different view on the matter. According to a recent press release from the Georgia Innocence Project, Mr. White was convicted of brutally raping an elderly woman in Georgia in 1980 when he was just 20 years of age. Mr. White was sentenced to life in prison. In 1990, ten years after his conviction, Mr. White was paroled, however, being released from…
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IF YOU LIE TO THE POLICE FOR A LOVED ONE, YOU CAN END UP IN JAIL
We all love our friends and family. We all want to protect them from the possibility of going to jail. However, if you lie to the police in an attempt to protect your loved ones you could be facing a jail sentence. A good example of this is the recent case of a loving 74 year old grandfather who had lent his car to his 23 year old grandson for…
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DEATH PENALTY LIKELY TO BE ABOLISHED
Well, at least in one U.S. State anyway. The New Jersey state legislature has voted to abolish capital punishment in that state. New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine has indicated that he will sign the legislation into law. Republican lawmakers had pushed to keep the death penalty on the books for cop killers and terrorists, however, Democratic law makers, who control both houses of the legislature in New Jersey, voted against…
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“PRESSURED” TO CONVICT?
The Associated Press recently reported on a case in Long Island, New York where a juror stated that he felt pressured by the trial judge and his fellow jurors to convict the defendant of manslaughter charges. The jury returned its verdict on the Saturday prior to Christmas. Apparently, when the jury was unable to reach a verdict, the judge took the unusual step of requiring that the jurors deliberate on…
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Avoiding INS Holds And Jail Time
Avoid Jail if you are an illegal immigrant. An INS hold may be placed on you, which could lead to deportation. Local law enforcement agencies are working with federal immigration officials to screen all persons who come into local jails to determine if they are in the United States illegally. As of November 30, 2007 it was reported that INS officials working with local jail employees have identified 4,152 inmates…
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