January 25, 2010
Criminal Procedure
In “Reconfiguring Terms,” legal blogger Gideon complains about the widespread use of the phrase “legal technicality” to explain why a particular criminal case was dismissed. Writes Gideon: “It really grinds my gears when I hear lay people . . . use the term technicality to describe a violation of some Constitutional right.”
Gideon is absolutely right. [...]
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January 25, 2010
Criminal Procedure
In a blog entry entitled “Victims Speaking Out,” D.A. Confidential describes the cathartic effect allocutions can have for the victims of a crime. “Allocution” refers to the dialogue between a judge and a defendant prior to sentencing. Allocution allows the defendant to ask for mercy, explain his or her conduct, apologize for the crime, or [...]
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