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
High bail keeping you in jail? Discover the legal steps to secure a federal bond reduction and return home to your family before trial.
Not all bail works the same way. Some defendants pay a set fee at the jail; others wait for a judge. Learn about the release process, bond costs, and what to consider before paying up.
Some people assume date rape is less serious than stranger rape—but legally, it isn't. Learn how states define consent, what penalties a conviction can bring, what rape shield laws are, and when a victim can sue in civil court.
Did you know breaking in and stealing are two entirely separate crimes in the eyes of the law? Find out why you can be convicted of both burglary and theft for a single incident—and whether courts can actually punish you twice.
Most criminal defendants can't afford private attorneys and rely on public defenders for their defense. But a defendant must qualify. Learn how.
Within the criminal justice system, a defense attorney serves as the defendant’s guide, protector, and confidant. Learn what criminal defense lawyers do and what they cost.
Learn when it's legal or illegal to buy, possess, or wear bulletproof vests, or body armor, under state and federal laws.
Learn how spousal immunity and marital privileges work, whether your spouse can testify against you, who holds the privilege, and when exceptions allow testimony to come in.
Adultery remains a crime in some states. Cheating on one's spouse can be a misdemeanor or felony, however, prosecutions for adultery are rare.
Confused by the clash between state and federal marijuana laws? Learn how conflicting laws impact the legal risk of prosecution, how federal laws protect medical marijuana in states, and what the recent rescheduling means for you.
