Rebecca Pirius

Rebecca Pirius

Attorney · Mitchell Hamline School of Law

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

South Carolina Sexting Laws for Teens and Minors
Teen sexting can lead to felony charges in South Carolina. Creating or sharing sexual images of minors falls under South Carolina's child pornography laws. An adult who sexts their image to a minor commits an obscenity offense.
Nebraska Felony Crimes by Class and Sentences
A felony in Nebraska can mean a prison sentence of more than a year and up to life. Nebraska also carries the death penalty. Learn about Nebraska's complex felony sentencing system.
Missouri Sexting Laws for Teens and Minors
In Missouri, sexting images of minors constitutes child pornography.
Kansas Laws on Misdemeanor and Felony Theft
Kansas classifies its theft offenses according to the dollar value of the stolen property or services. Penalties for theft increase along with the value of the stolen goods.
Maryland Sexting Laws for Teens and Minors
Maryland prosecutes sexting images of or to minors under laws that pertain to child pornography and obscenity. Some minors may qualify for less severe punishment under the state's juvenile sexting law.
Virginia Laws on Sexting by Teens and Minors
In Virginia, a person who sexts a sexually explicit image of a minor can face felony child pornography charges.
Burglary and Criminal Trespass in Kentucky
Burglary and trespass are related offenses that protect persons and property. But burglary carries much harsher penalties. Learn how Kentucky defines and punishes these crimes.
Who Decides to Try a Juvenile as an Adult?
When children are accused of criminal acts, the case usually goes to juvenile court. But, in certain cases, state laws permit a juvenile case to be transferred to adult court.
Do All Criminal Records Show Up on a Background Check?
Employers can usually see public criminal records, which may include arrest, booking, and conviction records.
What Is the Punishment for Graffiti Offenses?
A conviction for defacing or vandalizing property with graffiti can mean jail time and fines, plus removing the graffiti yourself or paying the property owner for all the damage caused.