Stuart Kirchick has defended clients in Santa Clara County, California since 1989, including cooperating defendants. Informant cases often hinge on disclosure rules, discovery strategy, and protecting the client while addressing cooperation. This article explains why representing informants isn’t a betrayal and outlines key considerations for defense counsel. By Stuart Kirchick – Criminal Defense Attorney in […]
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The History Of Habeas Corpus
Habeas corpus traces back to Magna Carta in 1215 as a legal protection against unlawful imprisonment. It evolved through English common law into a core safeguard in American courts for challenging detention. This article outlines key historical milestones and explains the writ’s role in Anglo-American jurisprudence. by the late Wally Farrell, Certified Criminal Law Spcialist, […]
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A Giant Leap for ADA?
In 2002, two California inmates sued in the Ninth Circuit arguing parole discrimination based on drug addiction violates the ADA. The claim turns on whether addiction qualifies as a disability and whether parole practices can unlawfully treat addicts differently. This article presents the legal arguments and implications for ADA coverage in parole contexts. PRO or […]
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HUMOR – Part 3
Humor – Part 3 is a 2002 reprinted humorous story that begins with a driver getting a parking ticket from a motorcycle cop after a 5-minute store stop. It recounts the narrator’s escalating attempts to talk the officer out of the citation and the cop’s response. The article is a short comedy anecdote originally published […]
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DNA Goes To Court
DNA evidence is now used in thousands of court cases each year, often providing strong identification when collected and analyzed correctly. But its power depends on lawful collection, reliable lab methods, and clear presentation that avoids overstating matches. This article explains how DNA enters a case, common challenges to admissibility and interpretation, and what judges […]
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PRESUMED GUILTY:
“Presumed Guilty” argues the jury missed key evidence in Scott Peterson’s trial and contends he should not face a death sentence. It features a 2007 interview with author Matt Dalton by journalist Bill Bickel, exploring disputed facts and legal issues. This article reviews the book and summarizes the interview’s central claims about the Laci Peterson […]
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HUMOR – Part 1
This article compiles 12 courtroom humor snippets presented as “absolutely-true” testimony from guaranteed-actual transcripts (tongue-in-cheek). Reposted with permission from Crime, Justice and America magazine, it highlights judge-and-defendant exchanges and a self-represented defendant’s remarks. It’s Part 1 of a series focused on light, transcript-style legal humor. Originally printed in 2002 in Crime, Justice and America magazine […]
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