U.S. Capitol Building

Jackson v. U.S.: Being Nervous Does Not Mean You Are Dangerous

Jamison KoehlerCriminal Procedure, Opinions/Cases

And sometimes the D.C. Court of Appeals gets it right. A police officer sees a woman driving a van with what he believes are illegally tinted windows.  When he activates his lights for a traffic stop, the van pulls over immediately.  The van begins to “rock” with lots of “shaking,” and when the officer walks up to the driver’s side …

U.S. Capitol Building

Dawkins v. United States: How Far Must A Party Go To Preserve Issue For Appeal?

Jamison KoehlerLegal Concepts/Principles, Opinions/Cases

In an opinion issued last week, Dawkins v. United States, 41 A.3d 1265 (D.C. 2012), the D.C. Court of Appeals addressed the issue of how far a party must go in order to preserve an issue for appeal.  The Court also confirmed the long-standing principle that the potential bias of a witness is always relevant in assessing a witness’ credibility. …

Entrapment in D.C.: The Legality of Recent Decoy Operations

Jamison KoehlerCriminal Procedure, Defenses to Criminal Charges, Legal Concepts/Principles

Your client is heading home, minding his own business, when he comes across what appears to be a homeless man sleeping on a bench at the metro station. Sticking out of the man’s coat pocket is a shiny new I-Phone. In a moment of weakness, your client grabs the I-Phone and is immediately taken to the ground by both the …