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Is the Movement to Legalize Cannabis Stalling?
By Carmen Reyes-Wolfe, J.D. | Last updated on
Proponents of cannabis hoped this year would mark a further shift toward its legal, recreational use. Instead, three of the four states where it was on the...
Will I Get Arrested If I Use Drugs During Pregnancy?
By Melissa Bender, Esq. | Reviewed by Joseph Fawbush, Esq. | Last updated on
Though you may be arrested for using illegal drugs, there are generally no additional criminal charges for doing so while pregnant. Two states, Alabama and...
I Was Drunk or High Is Usually Not a Defense to a Crime
By Melissa Bender, Esq. | Reviewed by Joseph Fawbush, Esq. | Last updated on
There are many criminal defenses you can raise at trial, but being drunk is generally not one of them. The law does differentiate between voluntary and...
What Shows Up in a Gun Background Check?
By Andrew Lu | Updated by Melissa Bender, Esq. | Last updated on
Given recent tragedies like the Colorado movie theater shooting and the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, FBI gun background checks are at an all-time...
What Happens When You're Booked Into Jail?
By Deanne Katz, Esq. | Updated by Melissa Bender, Esq. | Last updated on
Unlike what "Law and Order" has taught you, when you get booked into jail after an arrest you don't flash forward to your first hearing seconds later. It's...
Is Pleading 'No Contest' Different From 'Guilty'?
By Andrew Chow, Esq. | Updated by Melissa Bender, Esq. | Last updated on
Pleading "no contest" to a criminal charge means you do not admit fault or try to fight for your innocence. You are not saying you are guilty, but...