| MARITIME JURISDICTION OF THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT |
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| In accordance with Article III of the United States Constitution, the federal government has jurisdiction over all admiralty and maritime cases. This means that the federal government has jurisdiction over all criminal offenses that are committed on the high seas, on any other waters within the jurisdiction of the United States, or on any vessel that belongs to the United States, to a United States citizen, or to a corporation, which vessel is located within the admiralty or maritime jurisdiction of the United States and not within the jurisdiction of a state.
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| Search and Seizure - An Overview |
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| The Fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution has been the subject of thousands of legal opinions. The Fourth Amendment guarantees that all people in the United States shall be free from unreasonable government searches. The Fourth Amendment provides: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.
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| A DEFENDANT'S RIGHT TO TESTIFY |
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| Although a defendant has a right to remain silent under the Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution, the defendant also has a constitutional right to testify at his or her trial for a criminal offense. The defendant's right to testify includes his or her right to present a defense. More... |
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| Expungement |
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| One can clean up a criminal record by expunging or sealing their criminal records. Expungement is the sealing of criminal records so that they may not be publicly available. It is basically the equivalent of erasing one's criminal record. One can petition the court to expunge their criminal record. Expungement may apply to convictions and arrests.
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| RELIEF FROM JUDGMENTS REGARDING COMPETENCY TO STAND TRIAL |
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| A defendant does not generally have a right to appeal a judgment from a hearing on the defendant's competency to stand trial. The defendant only has a right to appeal his or her conviction for the offense with which he or she was charged. More... |
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