Criminal Law

Here you'll find the law on a variety of crimes along with a primer on criminal procedure, from arrest to trial to sentencing.

• Burglary Basics
• Theft and Shoplifting Crimes
• Drug Laws and Drug Crimes
• Homicide: Murder and Manslaughter
• Rape and Statutory Rape
• Accomplices, Accessories, Aiders, and Abettors

• Bail: Getting Out of Jail After an Arrest
• How People Get Charged With Crimes
• Defendants' Incentives for Accepting Plea Bargains
• Criminal Trial Procedures: An Overview
• How Criminal Sentencing Works FAQ
• Sentencing Alternatives: Prison, Probation, Fines, and Community Service
• Appeals and the Writ of Habeas Corpus FAQ

• How Defendants' Mental States Affect Their Responsibility for a Crime
• Criminal Procedure FAQ
• Defenses to Criminal Charges
• Fingerprint Evidence: What You Need to Know
• DNA Evidence: It's in Your Genes
• Lie Detector Tests: Do They Tell the Truth?
• Does Self-Representation in a Criminal Case Ever Make Sense?

• Understanding Search and Seizure Law
• Search and Seizure FAQ
• Search Warrants: What They Are and When They're Necessary
• Arrests and Interrogations FAQ
• Criminal Defense Lawyer FAQ
• Defendants' Rights During a Court Trial: The Bill of Rights
• Police Questioning: When Miranda Warnings Are Required
• The Right to Own a Gun Under Heller

• Juvenile Court: An Overview
• Juvenile Delinquency: What Happens in a Typical Juvenile Case?
• Juvenile Court Sentencing Options
• Juvenile Law: Status Offenses
• Constitutional Rights in Juvenile Proceedings
• When Juveniles Are Tried in Adult Criminal Court
• Sealing Juvenile Court Records

• Expungement of Criminal Records: The Basics
• Sex Offender Databases Include Some Acts That Are Now Legal
• Sealing Juvenile Court Records