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"Revenge porn" is a felony in Illinois.
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Revenge Porn in Florida: Sexual Cyberharassment
Can Florida prosecute an act of revenge porn if the image was posted out-of-state? (Hint: Where does the victim live?)
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A person commits the crime of embezzlement when he takes money that belongs to someone else. The most common occurrences involve employees stealing from their employer. These individuals are often people who have been entrusted with the financial resources of the company.
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Wisconsin Petty Theft & Other Theft Laws
Like many states, Wisconsin classifies its theft offenses according to the value of the property or services stolen -- and in some cases, according to the type of property involved in the theft.
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Wyoming Sale of a Controlled Substance Laws
All states regulate and control the sale of controlled dangerous substances (CDS), though each differs in its exact definition of CDS and the penalties for sale. Wyoming classifies not only well-known drugs like marijuana, heroin, and cocaine as CDS, but also the compounds used to manufacture them.
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Where can I get medical marijuana if there are no dispensaries in my California city?
If your city has outlawed medical marijuana dispensaries, but you are otherwise allowed to own and use medical marijuana under California state law, you have two options.
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Wyoming Domestic Violence Laws
Wyoming domestic violence laws impose criminal penalties on individuals convicted of a charged crime. Domestic violence situations range in spectrum from simple altercations to serious threats and injury.
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Wisconsin Criminal Statute of Limitations
Statute: 939.74 Summary: The following sets forth the applicable crimes and the time period within which a prosecution must commence thereafter.
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Wyoming Public Intoxication Laws
Laws punishing public intoxication vary widely among states. This article discusses Wyoming’s response to public intoxication, which is covered under its breach of the peace law. But other alcohol-related issues may also apply to your case. For example, someone at a bar who has too much to drink, gets angry, and hits someone might also face assault charges.
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Wyoming Criminal Statute of Limitations
In Wyoming, no Statute of Limitations has yet been established. This means that anyone who commits a crime
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Your Rights When Dealing With the Police
Should you speak with the police officer? Should you let the officer search your home or car? And what happens if you don’t?
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When most people think of an “arrest,” they envision a police officer cuffing criminal suspects and placing them in the back of a police cruiser. But there’s more to an arrest than taking a suspect into custody.
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What is the Witness Protection Program?
Acting as a witness in a case can sometimes be a dangerous activity, especially when there are people who don’t want you to talk. Witness protection programs exist to ensure witness safety, and to protect them from those who would harm then for the testimony they would give. These programs exist at both the federal and the state level, though the federal program is the most well known.
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Working a Job When Under House Arrest
House arrest involves being sentenced to time at home, under close surveillance, rather than serving a typical jail sentence. Home imprisonment is an option for non-violent offenders, and is used most often in areas where prisons are already overcrowded, or when local authorities are seeking ways to
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When Can the Police Search My Car?
The constitution says that you have a right to be free from unreasonable searches of your home, your person, and your car. Car searches rarely involve a search warrant issued...
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What to Do and Not Do When Arrested
The single most important thing to remember if you are arrested is that you have the right to remain silent and the right to an attorney, but these rights protect you onlyif you use them! If you are arrested, the best thing that you can do for yourself is to keep quiet until you are represented by a lawyer.
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What can I do when the police tow my car?
Vehicles may be towed for many reasons. If the car or driver is not validly licensed, or is being arrested, the police may tow the car for safekeeping, or to conduct a more thorough search. Abandoned vehicles...
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What Happens if I Lie to Police about a Friend's Crime?
If you lied to the police about a crime your friend committed you could face significant consequences. As a general rule, you aren’t under any obligation to speak with the police. However, if you choose to talk to investigators, it’s never a good idea to lie. If you lie to the police about a friend’s crime you can be charged with one or more crimes of your own.
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Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) is a component of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), primarily responsible for enforcing federal immigration and customs laws. Its powers include investigating, apprehending, arresting, detaining, and removing aliens within the United States. This
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Warrant While Incarcerated: Multiple Warrants
There are times when an individual may have one or more arrest warrants on record, even while they are already in a correctional facility for another crime. This is known as an Incacerated Warrant.
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Will the state provide a lawyer to help me expunge my juvenile record?
When minors are arrested and can’t afford a lawyer, they have the right to be represented by a state-appointed attorney. (This right was established in 1967 by a U.S. Supreme Court Case called In re Gault.)
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What’s the difference between an arraignment and a trial?
Can you explain the difference between an arraignment and a trial?
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What is the difference between civil and criminal court?
There are several important differences between civil and criminal court. In general, civil courts are designed to resolve differences when private individuals or businesses can no longer reach an agreement on their own. Criminal courts are designed to determine whether a person has violated a criminal
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What is the suspended imposition of a sentence?
If you are convicted at trial or plead guilty to a crime for which the judge can sentence you to jail or prison, the judge can suspend all or part of the sentence and place you on probation (supervised or unsupervised). A suspended sentence can be an excellent alternative to serving a lengthy jail or prison sentence.
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Will my public defender help me seal my criminal record?
Answer: It's very unlikely that a public defender office will have the resources to help indigent clients seal their records, even when that office represented the client for the underlying case. A combination of shrinking budgets and increasing online help have made this level of service obsolete.
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What is the bench trial process?
In a criminal proceeding in state court, a defendant may face a jury trial or a bench trial. A jury trial is a trial before a jury of 6 or 12 people who, after hearing the evidence and legal arguments, decide whether the defendant is guilty or not guilty of the charges against him.
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What is a Criminal Infraction?
A siren goes off behind you. That light was yellow, you are certain. The officer who comes to the window disagrees. She takes your license and registration, goes back to the squad car for an excruciating ten minutes, and returns with a citation. This is an imposition and an expensive lesson, especially if an insurance rate hike is included.
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You’ve heard the term used on “CSI” or “Law and Order” but what does it mean? It’s not just decorative legalese to impress the uninitiated. It is an early and essential part of every legal action, and has particular significance in criminal cases. What is a Prima Facie Case? The term translates
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What Are Felonies, Misdemeanors, and Infractions?
Crimes are classified according to the seriousness of the offense, and penalties are set accordingly.
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What Are Extenuating Circumstances?
Two people rob a convenience store at gunpoint. One is a 13-year-old girl, with no criminal record, a runaway with a drug problem, who has fallen under the spell of an older man. The other is her 26-year-old boyfriend. He has a long criminal history, including other armed robberies. The robbery was his idea, and he planned the crime and obtained the weapons.
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I'm the victim of a crime. Can I force the prosecutor to bring charges?
Generally speaking, a victim cannot force an unwilling prosecutor to file charges or seek an indictment from a grand jury. The prosecutor, exercising "prosecutorial discretion," has the final say.
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In the U.S. legal system, a person may be punished for a crime only if she has been convicted of a crime, that is, found criminally liable. This article discusses what constitutes criminal liability. For a discussion of civil liability, see our article on Civil Liability.
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A person who suffers damage or injury from the bad acts and even accidents of others can seek financial remedies in civil court. This article discusses civil liability.
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Can the judge order the other side in a lawsuit to do something, not just pay me money damages?
Question: I am about to file what I know will be a bitter dissolution action with my (soon-to-be ex) husband. While we are fighting it out in court, I will need him to contribute to childcare expenses for our two kids. Knowing him, I expect he will refuse.
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What is vehicular manslaughter?
The crime of vehicular manslaughter involves unintentionally causing another person’s death by driving illegally, recklessly or carelessly. The specific acts that constitute vehicular manslaughter vary from state to state, but criminal charges following a fatal car accident can be based on evidence
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The definition of the crime of forgery varies from state to state, but can include doing the following acts, with the intent to defraud or injure another:
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What is the Crime of Disorderly Conduct?
The crime of disorderly conduct can cover a large array of behaviors that also sometimes are referred to as a “breach the peace.” Disorderly conduct is typically behavior that disrupts the public order or bothers or alarms others in a public place, and includes but is not limited to: public fighting
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When can I be charged with possession of drug paraphernalia?
You can be charged with possession of drug paraphernalia if you have items in your possession that are used for ingesting or manufacturing drugs. Possession means you have the items “on your person”—in your purse, wallet, or pocket. Possession can also mean that these items are “in your control,”
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What is the law on possession of crystal meth?
As with any illegal drug or controlled substance, possession of “crystal meth” (methamphetamine) is a less serious crime than illegal manufacture or distribution of the drug. Still, even a misdemeanor charge for this crime can carry a penalty of up to a year in jail. In some states, possession of
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What is the law on possession of a controlled substance?
Controlled substances are drugs and other chemical or organic substances that the federal government and the states regulate. They fit into one of five federally-designed “schedules,” or groups. The schedules are organized according to the dangerousness of the drug or substance, and whether it has
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What is the law on criminal harassment and cyberbullying?
Most states have criminal laws against harassment, stalking, and cyberbullying. The terms harassment and stalking are usually used interchangeably. Cyberbullying, which is harassment done with an electronic device, is a form of harassment that some states are defining and criminalizing in separate, individual
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Theft—also referred to as stealing, larceny, and shoplifting—is the crime of taking something that belongs to another person—without permission and with the intention of keeping the item permanently. A theft is defined as “petty” if the property stolen has a very low value (often under $500
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What Is Felony Assault and Battery?
When someone is accused of pushing, hitting, kicking, or hitting another, or striking someone with an object, that person may be charged with “assault and battery,” “assault,” or “battery.” The name of the charge will depend on the law of the state in which the incident takes place. Assault
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What is embezzlement and what is the sentence for this crime?
A person commits embezzlement, a type of theft, if he takes money or property that he has access to or that is in his care but does not belong to him. A bookkeeper or office manager who manages a business bank account, for example, is entrusted with access to the money to pay bills and employee salaries.