The Memorial Day weekend will be upon us soon. It is widely known as the unofficial start of summer (since by the calendar it starts in June). Nevertheless, holiday gatherings and celebrations have become a tradition in Michigan, and they commonly involve alcohol.Law...
One of the bedrock principles of our criminal justice system is that the accused is presumed to be innocent until proven guilty. The collection of constitutional protections afforded to the accused is supposed to make the process fair criminal defendants. After all,...
Under the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution, private citizens are supposed to be free from unreasonable searches and seizures by police. This essentially means that law enforcement must have a warrant signed by an impartial judge before initiating searches of...
Shortly after the sentencing of Dr. Larry Nassar for his conduct involving young gymnasts during his tenure with USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University, speculation was rampant as to who else may be responsible for enabling Nassar to operate undeterred for so...
Spring time is a time for new beginnings throughout Michigan. Snow is melting, college basketball tournaments take center stage, and St. Patrick’s Day is a popular holiday. Events and celebrations commemorating Irish heritage are very popular among...
It is not uncommon for criminal investigations to be conducted through a state-based crime lab. But given their cost limitations and capacity issues, some crime labs may have backlogs that may delay test results and give rise to other logistical issues. As such, more...
One of the most common misconceptions about the use of marijuana is that it is likely to impair a driver in the same way that alcohol does. Essentially, if someone has smoked a marijuana cigarette and then gets behind the wheel, he or she will be just as impaired (if...
It has been nearly 10 years since voters approved the Michigan Medical Marijuana Initiative, and licensed dispensaries have helped those who deal with chronic pain and related maladies find a way to cope that departs from traditional opioids and other painkillers. But...
Felony charges are not created in a vacuum. They sometimes are created through searches that are not exactly illegal, but are conducted largely because a suspect does not know their rights under federal law, thus allowing law enforcement officers to discover evidence...
At this time of year, crimes are not commonly a newsworthy topic, especially if it does not deal with drunk driving or overzealous New Year’s reveling. But it should, especially when prison reform is one of the most complicated topics legislators and law...