A criminal trial includes many elements. An error by the court in any one of these can make the difference between a fair trial and injustice, between conviction and acquittal. Ensuring you get justice means safeguarding your rights at each of these steps. The best way to ensure that your…
Many drug or weapons cases hinge upon whether or not the prosecution’s evidence was obtained constitutionally. Police officers, whether intentionally or inadvertently, may engage in searches and seizures that are illegal under the Fourth Amendment. Getting justice, then, means getting that evidence suppressed and getting a dismissal or acquittal. If…
Remaining in the United States under the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, program, presents a unique set of challenges, especially if you are a recipient who encounters a need to travel abroad. If you are a DACA recipient or applicant, making a wrong move regarding international travel can…
Obtaining U.S. citizenship can be very exciting. It can also be a stressful process, especially if you have a recent criminal conviction on your record. Any application for naturalization can be a complex and detail-intensive process, but that complexity may rise even higher if you have a less-than-perfect criminal history.…
In 1968, the U.S. Supreme Court decided the case of Terry v. Ohio, which declared that police officers can stop and frisk targets without violating that person’s Fourth /amendment rights if the officer has reasonable suspicion for making the stop and conducting the frisk. Today, police officers frequently obtain incriminating…
In most areas of the law, details matter… a lot. That is especially true when it comes to applying for a visa. Even seemingly minuscule errors on a visa form can lead to serious delays. This reality is one reason it pays to have a skilled Maryland family visa lawyer…
Putting forward a criminal defense involves much more than simply making a trial presentation. Criminal cases may be functionally won or lost before either side makes its opening argument to the jury. Processes like the jury selection process are crucial, as removing jurors with biases may be vital to getting…
Asylum seekers can make many mistakes during the pursuit of asylum status. One of the biggest is pursuing their applications without legal representation. Even with factual evidence the applicant considers a “slam dunk,” the process is often daunting. It can yield an unfavorable outcome for even educated applicants with strong…
Most people are aware of the legal defense of “self-defense.” Most people do not know, however, that the law recognizes more than one type of self-defense. Depending on the facts of a case, the accused may be entitled to assert what the law calls “perfect” or “imperfect” self-defense. Each offers…
Earlier this month, the Biden Administration and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced two new initiatives related to immigrants. One is tailored toward expediting the work visa process for college degree-holding Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients (“DREAMers”) who graduated from U.S. colleges and universities. The other is…