| Types of Pleas and Withdrawal of a Guilty Plea |
| |
| When an accused has been charged with an offense, he has a choice of whether to enter a not guilty, a no contest, or a guilty plea. A not guilty plea is a plea in which the accused does not accept responsibility for the charged offense. After the accused has entered a not guilty plea, the matter is set for trial. Pre-trial procedures and trial preparations then begin.
More... |
| |
| A DEFENDANT'S RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL |
| |
| A defendant in a criminal prosecution is guaranteed the right to a jury trial under the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution unless the prosecution is for a petty offense. A petty offense is defined as an offense that carries a penalty of no more than six months in jail. The right to a jury trial applies to federal and state offenses. In addition, most states have enacted constitutional provisions and statutes that guarantee a defendant the right to a jury trial.More... |
| |
| Interstate Agreement on Detainers |
| |
| The Interstate Agreement on Detainers (the Agreement) is an agreement that applies to the transfers of sentenced prisoners between two states or between the federal government and a state. The purpose of the transfer is for the trial of the prisoner in another jurisdiction on an unrelated matter for which he is incarcerated. The Agreement is not applicable for the transfer of a federal prisoner between several jurisdictions for trial on federal charges. More... |
| |
| Counterfeiting Trademark Violations |
| |
| Counterfeiting trademarked goods is a growing problem in the United States. Counterfeiting of trademarked goods constitutes a felony offense. The offense involves the secret manufacture and distribution of imitation items. The counterfeited items consist of imitations of well-known products such as Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Ralph Lauren, and Coach. Both the Trademark Counterfeiting Act of 1984 and the Anticounterfeiting Consumer Protection Act of 1996 address the issues of counterfeiting of trademarked goods. More... |
| |
| Disorderly Conduct and Public Intoxication |
| |
| A person commits the offense of disorderly conduct when he or she knowingly or intentionally engages in an act that is offensive to the public order. Examples of disorderly conduct include using abusive language in a public place, making an offensive gesture in a public place, creating a noxious odor in a public place, making unreasonable noise in a public place, fighting in a public place, or discharging a firearm in a public place. More... |
| |
