| Motions to Suppress Evidence |
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| A defendant may file a motion to suppress evidence during the pretrial phase of her trial. A motion to suppress is filed when the defendant is seeking to exclude evidence on the basis that it was illegally obtained. The evidence may have been obtained in violation of the defendant's right against unreasonable searches and seizures as provided under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution. The evidence may have been tainted by other illegally obtained evidence, thereby supporting the defendant's assertion that it should be excluded. More... |
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| Witnesses and Confidential or Classified Information |
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| Prosecutions involving issues of war, national security or espionage may involve witness testimony and classified information. Classified information is defined as information that should not be disclosed to the public because of the sensitivity of the information or the source from which the information was derived. Prosecutors and defense attorneys should avoid divulging classified information during the witness's testimony. Under the Classified Information Procedures Act, the attorneys are to avoid any unnecessary or inadvertent disclosure of classified information. More... |
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| Ex Post Facto Laws |
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| An ex post facto law is a law that provides for punishment for an act that was committed when the act was not illegal. Additionally, an ex post facto law includes: More... |
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| WAIVER OF THE RIGHT TO COUNSEL |
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| Even though a defendant is guaranteed the right to counsel under the Fifth, Sixth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the United States Constitution, the defendant is entitled to waive such right. However, the defendant's waiver must be voluntary, knowing, and intelligent.
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| INCEST |
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| A person commits the offense of incest when he or she engages in sexual intercourse with a family member or a relative. A family member or a relative is usually defined as any ancestor or descendant by blood or adoption, any stepchild or stepparent while the marriage that created the step relationship exists, any parent's brother or sister by whole or half blood, any brother or sister of whole or half blood or by adoption, or the children of any brother or sister of whole or half blood or by adoption. The person must know that the other person is a relative. However, the relative does not need to be legitimate. More... |
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