Ignorance of the law is no excuse. Unless you’re a police officer. Earlier this month, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled 8-1 in favor of the police in a Fourth Amendment case in which the arresting officer’s “mistake of law” led him to conduct an erroneous traffic stop based on a non-existent legal offense. In the
Are My Private Conversations with My Lawyer Confidential?
Are our private conversations confidential? This is one of the most common questions I receive from potential clients seeking a consultation with me about a case. Most people know that there is an “attorney-client privilege” that protects their private communications with a lawyer. But are there exceptions to the privilege? Can it always be relied
New California Three Strikes Case
Last week, the California Supreme Court decided unanimously, in the case of People v. Vargas, that two felony strike convictions stemming from a single act against a single victim may not be considered two separate strikes under the California Three Strikes Law. This is an important judicial clarification of the California Three Strikes Law. The
Warrantless Cell Phone Searches Are Unconstitutional
Today, in the case of Riley v. California, the United States Supreme Court ruled unanimously that police need to obtain a warrant before searching a suspect’s cell phone, a sweeping endorsement of Americans’ 4th Amendment right to digital privacy. The decision applied to two cases – one from Massachusetts and the other from California –
Public Opinion Re-set
Most Americans know that a person charged with a crime in our legal system is entitled to a presumption of innocence. As a practical matter, however, when there is extensive media attention after an arrest, the public often hears an initial narrative of guilt which is difficult for a defendant to overcome later. Skilled