by Mark Catanzaro
on June 12, 2020
In the past month, Libertarian U.S. Representative from Michigan, Justin Amash, has proposed a bill to Congress that would end qualified immunity for government officials. With everything going on in the United States over the past few months, discussions on civil rights have dominated the public square. This proposal is no exception. In order to [...]
by Mark Catanzaro
on June 11, 2020
Every US citizen has the freedom of assembly thanks to the First Amendment of the United States Constitution. But what exactly does this mean? What about freedom of assembly in New Jersey? If you’re curious about your civil rights, you’ve come to the right place. In the past, our blog has covered your rights when [...]
by Mark Catanzaro
on May 29, 2020
If someone unjustly attacks you and puts your life at risk, you are allowed to defend yourself. But what do you do if that person is a police officer? It’s a hard question. There’s no easy answer. Officers are called to protect and serve the people. But sometimes they wrongfully harm citizens. That’s where rights [...]
by Mark Catanzaro
on May 15, 2020
Spring has dawned and there are few things anyone wants to do more than go outside, meet with friends, and enjoy the weather. However, COVID-19 remains a danger for a lot of us. Yet, without patrons, many businesses have been forced to close. Beach communities rely on beach-goers and shoobies to sustain themselves. Without them, [...]
by Mark Catanzaro
on April 10, 2020
Maybe you’ve heard about some of the cases of people getting arrested for not following social distancing rules. Whatever you think about social distancing rules – whether you think they’re violations of our rights, are important rules to follow, or a little bit of both – it’s important to know them! So, along with washing [...]
by Mark Catanzaro
on December 20, 2019
In our series about the Fifth Amendment, we’ve covered pleading the fifth and double jeopardy. In a lot of ways, you could consider these as continuations of our series on legal jargon. Today, we cover “due process.” You may have heard that phrase thrown around. What is it? How does it work? What does it [...]
by Mark Catanzaro
on December 13, 2019
Last week, we covered some basics about the fifth amendment. Namely, we answered, “What does plead the fifth mean?” This week we’re covering another right protected by the fifth amendment: protection from double jeopardy. We’ll give a basic definition of double jeopardy, cover some double jeopardy laws, and tell you other ways you can protect [...]
by Mark Catanzaro
on August 9, 2019
Continuing with our series of blogs on courtroom concepts and lingo, today we’ll be looking at "habeas corpus." You’ve probably heard this term before, but what does it mean? What is habeas corpus? It is a Latin term that literally means “bring forth the body.” However, it doesn’t have to do with dead bodies or [...]
by Mark Catanzaro
on July 25, 2019
Last week we covered “plausible deniability.” This week we’re covering a related topic: reasonable doubt. What does this mean? How does New Jersey law define it? How does the court apply it? These are important questions if you’re going to understand your own trial and how an effective attorney might handle your case. So, if [...]
by Mark Catanzaro
on July 11, 2019
Everyone knows the policeman’s motto, “Protect and serve.” Most of us have had generally positive experiences when interacting with law enforcement. But not everyone. Although police exist to protect and serve their communities, sometimes an officer can cross the line, if not even become abusive. If you’ve experienced New Jersey police misconduct, what can you [...]