| A DEFENDANT'S RIGHT TO COMPULSORY PROCESS |
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| A defendant who is charged with a criminal offense has the right to compulsory process under the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution. The right to compulsory process means the right to obtain witnesses in the defendant's favor, which witnesses are physically and mentally capable of testifying regarding events that they personally observed. More... |
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| CLEMENCY FOR DOMESTIC VIOLENCE VICTIMS |
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| In some states, legislatures have recently enacted laws that grant the possibility of clemency by the states' governors for domestic violence victims who have been convicted of certain offenses, such as murder and manslaughter. In those states, the governors are entitled to request a clemency investigation by the states' parole boards into cases where defendants have pleaded guilty or have been convicted of those offenses when the offenses were directly related to the defendants' being victimized by domestic violence.
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| Circumstantial, Direct and Relevant Evidence |
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| All evidence must be relevant in order for it to be admissible. There are numerous instances when relevant evidence is not admissible for various reasons including hearsay. Evidence itself falls into one of two categories, direct or circumstantial.More... |
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| Confessions - Fifth Amendment Right to Counsel |
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| The United States Supreme Court held in 1966 in the case of Miranda v. Arizona that a person has a right to an attorney during questioning by the police. The basis for this right is the privilege against self-incrimination under the Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution.
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| ATTEMPT |
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| A person commits an attempt if he or she, with the specific intent to commit an underlying offense, commits an act that amounts to more than mere preparation and fails to commit the underlying offense. In order to constitute an attempt, the person must have the specific intent to commit the offense. More... |
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