| HUNG JURY |
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A jury is required to render a unanimous verdict in a criminal trial. If the jury cannot reach a unanimous verdict, the jury is considered to be a hung jury. A trial court must declare a mistrial in the event of a hung jury.
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| FRIVOLOUS APPEALS |
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| An appeal is considered to be frivolous if it lacks merit. An appeal lacks merit if a trial court committed no error in a defendant's case. Attorneys generally have a duty not to file frivolous appeals. However, even though an attorney may deem that a defendant's appeal is frivolous, he or she may be required to file an appellate brief. Such a brief is called an "Anders" brief. More... |
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| Overview of Prison Offenses |
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| Even after a defendant has been convicted and sentenced to a prison term, he may be charged, convicted, and sentenced again for any offenses committed while in prison. A prison is defined as a correctional or detention facility. Although states vary on the types of chargeable prison offenses, there are some general offenses both under numerous state laws and federal law. More... |
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| Computer Fraud and Financial Institutions |
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| With the prevalence and necessity of computers, computer fraud in financial institutions appears to be a frequently prosecuted offense. Employees, directors, and agents of financial institutions have access to their customers' information on a daily basis and at their fingertips. It is quite simple, for example, for an employee to delete unfavorable information of a client and add favorable information to the client's file. In the example above, the client may be able to obtain credit approval for certain items that he otherwise would not qualify for. More... |
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| THE FEDERAL "THREE STRIKES" LAW |
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| The Federal "Three Strikes" Law was enacted as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994. The "Three Strikes" Law requires enhancement of sentencing for a defendant who has been convicted of two prior felonies. More... |
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