Willful Blindness is a theory of liability in the federal criminal justice system that just doesn’t seem fair. The doctrine of willful blindness helps prosecutors convict defendants who deliberately shield themselves from clear evidence of critical facts that are strongly suggested by the circumstances. If a defendant who behaves in this manner, they are just […]
Federal Convictions Based On Willful Blindness Read More »
One of the most disconcerting things for a defendant to face is when they sit in trial for a crime they allegedly committed and see the prosecutor engaging in behavior that is wrong in every sense of the word. The legal term is “prosecutorial misconduct” and it can occur at any point during criminal proceedings
State and Federal Prosecutors: What Happens When They’re Not Just? Read More »
Criminal defenses Any reputable criminal defense attorney knows how important it is to assess a client’s criminal case for any potential legal defenses to the crime(s) being charged. There are specific defenses that are in the California criminal jury instructions (CALCRIM) that lay out all available affirmative defenses for crimes. Two of the most common
Criminal Defenses: Mistake of Fact and Mistake of Law Read More »
Every Orange County criminal attorney who tries cases knows that a case is won or lost as a result of jury selection. Selecting a jury is the most important part of the criminal jury trial process and many inexperienced attorneys don’t strategize and plan for this critical part of the process. In Orange County, criminal jury trial judges usually
Criminal Jury Trial Process: Jury Selection in Orange County Read More »