| Subject | Date Asked |
|
| Search/Seizure? | 11/8/2009 |
Q: I have a friend who lives in a makeshift "apartment." Actually, the building is a large house owned ...
A: alex, legally speaking, if there are no contracts, he may have a problem. does he have his own ...
|
| invasion of privacy | 11/4/2009 |
Q: Today US Marshals came and took me out of work to ask me questions about a fugitive uncle. I have no ...
A: rob, ask your mom if she wants to talk to the marshal. the marshal's don't have the right to ...
|
| invasion of privacy | 11/3/2009 |
Q: Today US Marshals came and took me out of work to ask me questions about a fugitive uncle. I have no ...
A: rob, do you live with your mother? what are they going to indict your mother for? if they have ...
|
| Ethical Delimma | 10/12/2009 |
Q: You are a prosecutor in a jurisdiction that does not use the grand jury system.An elderly man has ...
A: harri, look at the intent which is always the means for a crime. does he collect any insurance ...
|
| search and seizure | 10/6/2009 |
Q: When can a police officer strip search you? Can they take you off the street and search you without ...
A: nikki, they can strip search if there is an emergency, if you consent, if they have a specific ...
|
| self-deffence... | 10/2/2009 |
Q: "Okay, So, I was wondering if a boy between 14-15 committed a murderer in cause of self defense, the ...
A: mai, that is even more confusing. according to what you now give me. b shoots c, a shoots b ...
|
| domestic violence | 9/24/2009 |
Q: My ex-boyfriend hit me and i did not press charges but the state did, is there anything i can do to ...
A: christine, in a word, no. this is for your protection. studies show that if he hit you, he will ...
|
| seizure of my computer during probation search | 9/10/2009 |
Q: I'm in Oakland Ca. and have 3 year court probation. I was leaving my residence on bicycle and was ...
A: Christine, Were you arrested? This is very important. If you were arrested and charged with ...
|
| Self Defense Law | 8/16/2009 |
Q: I am planning to purchase my first handgun for self defense. However, I'm not familiar with the self ...
A: Jackie, You can always use deadly force to defend yourself, but the force must be real and ...
|
| Rental Furniture Arrest | 8/3/2009 |
Q: I rented furniture(sofa, loveseat) for my relative. She was to make the payments. My credit was ...
A: darren, ufortunately, you do need a lawyer. unless you can get the furniture back, you are on ...
|
| assault | 7/24/2009 |
Q: I'm writing a novel and need to know police procedure for someone entering a private residence ...
A: kathy, 1. if the perps are present and there is evidence of an assault, the perps are arrested for ...
|
| threats from drug dealers | 7/21/2009 |
Q: Darrin, I am hoping you can provide some advice. Let me give you some background on the situation. ...
A: pam, without knowing where you are, it is hard to qualify my answer. basically, you have to know ...
|
| Crime Prevention Theories | 7/5/2009 |
Q: Good evening Sir I was asked what steps would I take to control crime in the US. Although it ...
A: olivia, there is a town in ga, called kennesaw where it is mandatory that all residents have ...
|
| Crime on/off Indian reservation, followup | 6/24/2009 |
Q: This is a followup to my question of 5/18/09. The relevant part of that question is: I'm writing a ...
A: paula, the fbi can only get warrants from federal magistrates. the city police could but it ...
|
| Dealer liability law-Missouri-criminal investigations | 6/5/2009 |
Q: When a death occurs as a drug overdose, and there is a known suspect that may have supplied the ...
A: alice, legally speaking, for a drug overdose, no one else is guilty unless the drugs were ...
|
| Crime on and off Indian reservation | 5/18/2009 |
Q: I'm asking you this because you answered a related question last year. I'm writing a mystery novel ...
A: paula, once the fbi enter, it is technically their investigation. they could leave it up to ...
|
| voyeurism | 5/13/2009 |
Q: I live in Washington State and have been harassed by someone in law enforcement for many years. He ...
A: vicki, without any proof, there are no real options. call a local womans advocate group and see ...
|
| Warrant suppression | 4/19/2009 |
Q: Is there a legal precedent for having a search warrant suppressed when it was issued with the ...
A: pam, sorry for the delay, my computer was down. now, on to business. a search warrant is based ...
|
| False Doctors Excuses | 4/14/2009 |
Q: I have an employee who is so obviously doctoring old doctors excuses. Is there a legal penalty ...
A: robin, what he is doing is improper, but no illegal. check your agency policy. your agency ...
|
| underage drinking/smoke pot at party | 4/2/2009 |
Q: I found a pictures of my daughter online, who is not 21 yet, drinking and smoking pot from a bong at ...
A: robert, i am so confused as to why you would want to remain anonymous about your daughter, but ...
|
| Animal Cruelty | 3/29/2009 |
Q: I live in Pasadena, Texas. I have next door neighbors that fight roosters frequently. I have ...
A: rosemary, see if there is a peta (people for the ethical treatment of animals) chapter in your ...
|
| scope of probation search | 3/26/2009 |
Q: my niece was arrested for possession and intent to sell. The police claimed that because a visitor ...
A: marie, in short, the answer is no. unless the person on probation lists that residence as their ...
|
| harassment by a state detective | 3/25/2009 |
Q: About 2 months ago, I noticed that I was quite often being followed by a man in a pickup truck. I do ...
A: mary, i am quite confused. did this detective give you or your husband any paperwork? what was ...
|
| domestic violence | 3/12/2009 |
Q: my fiance and i got into an argument and he cut me with a knife on my hand, i didn't go right away ...
A: nichole a preliminary hearing is a hearing where they decide if its worth taking to court. it is ...
|
| domestic violence | 3/8/2009 |
Q: my fiance and i got into an argument and he cut me with a knife on my hand, i didn't go right away ...
A: nichole, unfortunately, the likelihood of the charges being dropped are slim to none. there is ...
|
| Search and Seizure | 3/2/2009 |
Q: Mr. Bell, I was pulled over in my vehicle late one night for having a brake light out in my car. ...
A: trevor, using your scenario, i will base my answers strictly on what you have provided. the ...
|
| extradition | 2/28/2009 |
Q: "A relative of mine was charged with unlawful use of a motor vehicle in Pennsylvania. He took it for ...
A: johann, your relative could still be arrested somewhere else and be jailed. they will face an ...
|
| prison | 2/11/2009 |
Q: I was wondering how prison works regarding visiting and phone calls. Is it possible to phone an ...
A: esther, i do not know of any prisons or correctional facilities that let inmates receive calls. ...
|
| TOBBACCO POSSESSION | 1/28/2009 |
Q: MY SON IS 16 YEARS OLD AND WAS STOPPED BY THE POLICE FOR WALKING DOWN THE STREET WITH HIS FRIEND. ...
A: machelle, the police either have some type of internal affairs dept. start there and also the ...
|
| TOBBACCO POSSESSION | 1/23/2009 |
Q: MY SON IS 16 YEARS OLD AND WAS STOPPED BY THE POLICE FOR WALKING DOWN THE STREET WITH HIS FRIEND. ...
A: machelle, you should probably think about some type of formal complaint, unless you stay in a ...
|
| TOBBACCO POSSESSION | 1/19/2009 |
Q: MY SON IS 16 YEARS OLD AND WAS STOPPED BY THE POLICE FOR WALKING DOWN THE STREET WITH HIS FRIEND. ...
A: machelle, legally, the officer can search incident to arrest. the question is did your son ...
|
| phone tapping | 1/7/2009 |
Q: How would one be able to tell if their phone is being tapped - either home or cell? Is there a MA ...
A: t, you probably wouldnt be able to tell until it was too late. eventually, they have to tell ...
|
| check forgery/fraud | 12/27/2008 |
Q: my 16 year old daughter is being accused of forging checks. She admitted it all and is paying the ...
A: nani, sorry i cant be of more assistance, but ask what is the statutory amount for felony forgery ...
|
| FBI procedure in Indian Country | 12/25/2008 |
Q: This is a writer researchIf a murder occurred on the Mille Lacs Indian reserve in Minnesota, how ...
A: i am not sure how minnesota does it. nowadays, reservation have their own police to handle these ...
|
| Posession of narcotics | 12/5/2008 |
Q: the local police where i live (thomaston, GA) were looking for someone, when they got to my door ...
A: erica, technically, if you were there, you are guilty. the cops shouldnt have arrested you if he ...
|
| Arresting then releasing without charging | 12/2/2008 |
Q: Why are people arrested then released. So many times people get arrested when probable cause is ...
A: ty, p.c. is a big thing, a lot of officers dont apply it correctly. it is one of the biggest ...
|
| PC and arrest | 11/29/2008 |
Q: Ok, I like to try and poke holes in the law for no in particular reason. I guess I just find the ...
A: ty, despite what you may see on tv, pc is not a low standard. pc is a set of facts and ...
|
| Using sites like this against people | 11/28/2008 |
Q: Since I am a CJ student, I spend a lot of time on sites like this. Often I see so many people ...
A: kev, i guess a lot would depend on what the questionairre asked about or implied guilt on. if it ...
|
| police procedure | 11/12/2008 |
Q: I was falsely accused and since acquitted of crimes by my wife's former spouse. A search warrant ...
A: bob, who to arrest is a matter of professional opinion, and i am assuming that since you were the ...
|
| Parole | 11/6/2008 |
Q: My 19yr old son will be coming out of 90 day Shock Incarceration next month. He will be required to ...
A: k, most of them are understanding of the job situation and transportation. they might question ...
|
| Criminal Tresspass Warning | 9/6/2008 |
Q: Is there any way to have a criminal trespass warning lifted? I was recently being harassed by an ...
A: technically, there is nothing to be removed. have you ever gotten a warning for speeding or any ...
|
| Civil Law vs Biblical Law | 8/31/2008 |
Q: What do you do when you are convinced that a civil law defies God's law? Aren't you morally ...
A: Dr. In a perfect world, there would only be one law, but we are far from perfect and since there ...
|
| petition to revoke probation /domestic violence | 8/26/2008 |
Q: what happens at a court date for petition to revoke probation? this person has 3 prior convictions ...
A: mari, what is supposed to happen is sort of like a trial. if this person is on probation and is ...
|
| follwup | 6/21/2008 |
Q: I live in California and my sister is on parole and lives with our parents and I. My parents own the ...
A: thats good. check again on the firearms issue. getting a safe should be no big deal, but if your ...
|
| follwup | 6/21/2008 |
Q: I live in California and my sister is on parole and lives with our parents and I. My parents own the ...
A: joe, legally speaking, if all that you are telling me is true, then your sister is not in ...
|
| "Parole Sweep" Search and Seizure | 6/20/2008 |
Q: I live in California and my sister is on parole and lives with our parents and I. My parents own the ...
A: joe, why did they come to the house? was it the police or parole officers? just based on what ...
|
| US Law Enforcement | 6/19/2008 |
Q: I’m wondering if you could help me at all … I work for a television company in the UK and we are ...
A: jon, different agencies have different divisions based on what kinds of crimes are most prevalent ...
|
| Seizure of goods | 6/13/2008 |
Q: My daughter and her partners house was entered by the police while her partner was held at the ...
A: susan, its hard to have a comment without specifics. did the police have a search warrant and if ...
|
| bench warrant | 5/25/2008 |
Q: Does a bench warrant in Florida expire afer 2 yrs? my boyfriend was arrested for an outstanding ...
A: caterina, bench warrants typically do not expire. he does not have to be read any rights unless ...
|
| traffic ticket | 5/21/2008 |
Q: I recently received my first traffic ticket ever on 05/17/08. The officer followed me for about 4 ...
A: daniel, sorry for the delay. bring your receipt from the defensive driving class and be prepared ...
|
| fourth degree breaking and entering | 5/19/2008 |
Q: The other night, me and three friends got arrested for breaking and entering into a vacant house. I ...
A: taysha, sorry for the delay. if this is the first time that you have been arrested, you should ...
|
| County Detention Center | 5/14/2008 |
Q: Our 19 yr old son was just arrested for PWID. It relates to marijuana and this is his second ...
A: kelley, let me be totally honest with you. there is some truth to the shows about what goes on ...
|
| Moving out /domestic disputes | 5/6/2008 |
Q: First off I want to thank you for your time- as I am not sure you can help me. I reside in NYS ...
A: sharry, your best bet would be to talk to the foster care supervisor and ask her what your friend ...
|
| a girl minor was searched | 5/5/2008 |
Q: my best friends 16 year old daughter was patted down the other day by a male officer, I thought it ...
A: jen, the legal is answer is that it is not illegal, just not advisable. a lot depends on the ...
|
| possession with intent to deliver | 4/20/2008 |
Q: My brother is currently in county prison for DUI. Last January person he was with made deal with ...
A: Sandy, What happens next is entirely up to your brother. Depending on his criminal history will ...
|
| Statute of Limitations for Attempted Murder | 4/18/2008 |
Q: Mr. Bell, Back in 1994, my mother attempted to commit suicide and to end my life (i was 7 yrs old). ...
A: Karen, You need to speak to someone in the District Attorneys office to see if they are willing ...
|
| Statute of Limitations for Attempted Murder | 4/16/2008 |
Q: Mr. Bell, Back in 1994, my mother attempted to commit suicide and to end my life (i was 7 yrs old). ...
A: Karen, If you two are the only ones who know about this attempted murder/suicide, then unless ...
|
| stolen money | 4/7/2008 |
Q: This is my situation. 4 months ago. I asked my friend who's an assistant Gamestop manaager to get me ...
A: Jake, Send your friend a certified letter telling him to return your money or you will pursue ...
|
| probation violation | 2/27/2008 |
Q: Darrin,I have read your answer and I can assure you that my wife and children are behind me 110%, my ...
A: erik, i do believe that if they had enough real proof that they would have arrested you by now. ...
|
| probation violation | 2/26/2008 |
Q: the child protection agency & state police say I can return to my home, but my probation officer ...
A: erik, finally a whole story, thank you. if you can hold out until your court date, i would say do ...
|
| probation violation | 2/25/2008 |
Q: the child protection agency & state police say I can return to my home, but my probation officer ...
A: erik, you are still talking in code. what was the letter for? does your p.o. tell you that you ...
|
| ...datin problems | 2/19/2008 |
Q: me and this girl like each other but she is afraid that if she breaks up with her boyfriend and ...
A: todd, is it her baby or is it his? i am confused. if she is 16 and he is 18, a paternity test ...
|
| ...datin problems | 2/17/2008 |
Q: me and this girl like each other but she is afraid that if she breaks up with her boyfriend and ...
A: todd, if he is threatening either of you, then get a protective order against him. people say that ...
|
| impound procedure | 1/30/2008 |
Q: My 19 yr. old son died from accidental poisoning last May. He drank from a meth laced bottle of ...
A: philip, while i realize that this is a sensitive issue for you, you have to step back and ...
|
| trial by jury | 1/30/2008 |
Q: My son is being accused of a crime he didn't commit. He has 2 witnesses that were with him the night ...
A: joan, look up the crime and the elements needed to prove the crime. look up eyewitness testimony ...
|
| impound procedure | 1/27/2008 |
Q: My 19 yr. old son died from accidental poisoning last May. He drank from a meth laced bottle of ...
A: Philip, i am sorry to hear about your son. unfortunately, unless you can prove the police did ...
|
| Domestic violence searches | 12/18/2007 |
Q: I called the police because of a domestic violence dispute with my husband. When they got here he ...
A: m, if it was in a drawer, with a good attorney, it should be suppressed. they should have checked ...
|
| Domestic violence searches | 12/18/2007 |
Q: I called the police because of a domestic violence dispute with my husband. When they got here he ...
A: m, it really depends on the judge and where you live. they should have searched for him for your ...
|
| Death penalty (high school paper) | 12/12/2007 |
Q: I wanted to ask you, Is it more expensive to keep someone in jail for life or to use the death ...
A: grace, it really depends on the trial and the health of the inmate before you can really get into ...
|
| Warants/Phone Tapping | 10/30/2007 |
Q: How does the signing of a search warrant works? Also, if the phone conservation is not what the ...
A: claresa, search warrants are good for 10 days. some conversations can be taped and listened to ...
|
| Trespassing or harassment? | 10/24/2007 |
Q: I worked twenty years for the City of San Diego and was wrongfully terminated in July. My appeal is ...
A: dwayne, you need to find out if your dismissal involved a criminal trespass warning, if so this ...
|
| search & seizure | 10/22/2007 |
Q: the sheriff dept. tracked shoeprints to our home, my older son is a suspect in a robbery, which he ...
A: denisye, sorry or the delay. i do not have a form letter. check with the police department and ask ...
|
| Need a warrant? | 9/28/2007 |
Q: If you're having a small party and someone calls the police about a noise complaint, can the police ...
A: sean, theoretically they need a warrant to enter, unless they were knocking several minutes at the ...
|
| hi | 9/22/2007 |
Q: when are the police who are investigating a person who operates a car, allowed to search the car ...
A: 1. they can search it if the person is driving or recently exited the vehicle. 2. if the person is ...
|
| Knowlingly charged with Possession of Stolen Property. | 9/19/2007 |
Q: I was recently charged with the above by warrant. I cooperated with the CHP "California Highway ...
A: now i am confused too. you need to get a copy of the police report to see exactly what they are ...
|
| very concerened | 6/14/2007 |
Q: i have been divorced for about 1 year. my husband at time of marriage took our little girls away ...
A: 1st, you need to see if you have a volunteer lawyer service in your area to help you. as a parent, ...
|
| Police treatment of a pregnant women in custody | 5/24/2007 |
Q: What are rules/laws regarding the treatment of a nine month pregnant women in police custody? Are ...
A: without knowing the whole scenario, it is really hard to say from what you have given me whether or ...
|
| self-defence in relation to trespassing | 4/29/2007 |
Q: I'm a law student at uni.of copenhagen, denmark, and I'm about to write paper on the individual's ...
A: each state has their own set of circumstances regarding self defense. but basically, the law says ...
|
| extradition | 4/26/2007 |
Q: my brother-in-law was arreseted in september here in pennsylvania on a out of state warrrant from ...
A: in theory no, someone should call virginia and ask what needs to be done about this so that this ...
|
| what is gonna happen | 4/15/2007 |
Q: my boyfriend was charged with i believe intent to sell cocaine and other drugs it was a set up from ...
A: without knowing where you are or what you boyfriend tested positive for its kind of hard for me to ...
|
| Statute of limitations on an undocumented attempted murder | 4/3/2007 |
Q: Back in 98 there was one instance of domestic violence by me against my wife. She didn't call the ...
A: jason, if there are no records, there can be no statute of limitations. something has to be on file ...
|
| Self-Defense | 3/29/2007 |
Q: I was involved in a self defense situation, where a man approached me and I felt threaten so I ...
A: of course, he can still try to file a lawsuit, that is just the way america is. filing and winning ...
|
| Legal questions | 3/13/2007 |
Q: 1)If an out of court identification procedure is unduly prejudicial, does a trial court always have ...
A: 1. they should if it is unduly prejudicial. 2. depends on what the attorneys object to. 3. ...
|
| miranda | 2/18/2007 |
Q: When investigating a crime, are people to be interviewed read their Miranda rights? Does mirandizing ...
A: realistically speaking, the only time Miranda should be read is if you think the person that you are ...
|
| incarceration | 2/2/2007 |
Q: My brother was being held for driving on a suspended and was put into a cell for ten days, fed ...
A: 1st of all it really all depends on the department's response as to why your brother was treated ...
|
| sell to ci(informent) | 12/30/2006 |
Q: i"am going to court. the bases of my search warrant is that they sent and informant to my home my ...
A: the answer to your first question is yes, this is commonly done to help build a case and depending ...
|
| Probation Violation | 12/20/2006 |
Q: My fiancee' was charged with one felony count of possession of burglary tools and was sentenced to ...
A: I'm not sure which state you are in, because the laws do differ from state to state. as far as ...
|
