Rebecca Pirius is a Legal Editor at Nolo with a focus on criminal law. She has worked in the area of criminal law since 2003, most recently as a senior policy specialist at the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL). For 12 years, Rebecca was a legislative analyst and an attorney in the Minnesota House of Representatives, providing nonpartisan legal research and drafting services to the 134 members. Right out of law school, she clerked for a judge in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Rebecca earned her J.D. from Mitchell Hamline School of Law in Minnesota, where she graduated magna cum laude and served as a law review member. She is a member of the Minnesota State Bar.
Nolo. In 2017, Rebecca began freelancing with Nolo and writing articles on criminal law, traffic laws, and impaired driving. She started full time at Nolo in 2019 as a Legal Editor. She writes primarily for CriminalDefenseLawyer.com and Nolo.com.
Prior career. Working at the Minnesota Legislature and NCSL, Rebecca conducted extensive research and analysis of laws and legislation on criminal law, public safety, corrections, and courts. Her roles required her to break down complex legal concepts for a broad audience, including policymakers and constituents, and allowed her to work with both sides of the political aisle. At NCSL, her policy work took her around the country to work with local and state policymakers, prosecutors, defense attorneys, former offenders, young adult offenders, crime victims, and criminal justice experts.
Articles by Rebecca Pirius
Think trespassing is no big deal? A conviction can mean fines, jail time, and a criminal record that follows you for life. Learn what counts as criminal trespass, how charges are classified, and what penalties you could face.
Many people drive to reservations to buy fireworks banned in their city or county. But those fireworks don't become legal once you leave. Here's what you actually need to know before the holidays.
Fireworks are a Fourth of July staple, but California's laws are stricter than most states. Before you light anything up, find out what's actually legal—and what could land you in jail or cost you thousands in fines.
A bench trial is tried to a judge only—there's no jury. Learn how bench trials work in criminal cases and why a defendant might choose to go that route over a jury trial.
Probation gives convicted individuals a chance to stay in the community—but one violation can send them back to court, or worse, to jail. Learn what happens when the rules are broken.
Before launching your drone for commercial purposes or just fun, know the rules. Federal, state, and local laws all regulate where drones can fly—and violations can mean steep fines or criminal charges, even for recreational flyers.
Rape charges carry some of the most serious penalties in criminal law, and the penalties don't end at sentencing. Understand the full scope of these laws and possible defenses.
A domestic violence charge can mean jail time, a lifelong criminal record, and restrictions on your rights. Find out how states and federal law define these crimes and what consequences you could face
Revenge porn—also called nonconsensual distribution of intimate images (NDII)—is the posting or sharing of sexually explicit images without the subject's consent. Federal law and nearly every state now criminalize it.
The crime of attempted murder can be charged when a person intends to commit murder and tries to carry out the killing but, for whatever reason, is unable to accomplish it.
