Over the last month, Catanzaro Law has explored clemency and its various manifestations in the U.S. legal system. Pardons, commutations, and reprieves have all been used throughout U.S. history to grant some level of leniency to criminals ready for reform. But what do these processes look like to the layperson? How can a criminal apply [...]

The tension between constructive and destructive punishment is an ever present reality in the legal system. Is the aim to condemn and punish poor behavior with no intention of reform, or to guide lawbreakers into a redemptive, productive future? At its best, clemency is an effort to tip the scales in the latter direction, aimed [...]

Over the past several weeks we've reviewed various different types of evidence. Last week, we examined one particular example of evidence: polygraph tests. We cast doubt on their validity. This week we'll look at fingerprints. Every crime show seems to place a great deal of emphasis on fingerprints. But are fingerprints reliable evidence? What do [...]

You've seen them before in movies and TV shows. Maybe from Meet the Parents, Seinfeld, or Vanity Fair. A lot of people know about polygraph tests, but few people understand how they work. Maybe you've even heard that some states and districts no longer admit their results as evidence in a trial! If you face [...]

Generally, two types of evidence exist in a criminal trial: circumstantial evidence and physical evidence. The difference is easy to understand. Physical evidence directly links the accused to the crime, while circumstantial evidence merely suggests their guilt. But what about the difference between hearsay and circumstantial evidence? If you watch courtroom dramas, maybe you've heard, [...]

You've heard the phrase "innocent until proven guilty" before. Maybe from a movie, TV show, in your own case, or even from this website. But what does "innocent until proven guilty" mean? Does it apply to all court cases and trials? Furthermore, what does it have to do with "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt"? Most [...]

Over the past couple of weeks, we've talked about courtroom personnel and how the courtroom process works. These have all been part of our series where we explain the most pieces of the legal process and how it works. After all, the more you know the more you can help your case. With that in [...]

Last week we began a new blog series about the most basic things regarding courtroom procedure. We want our readers to understand some of the elementary aspects about trials and courtroom procedure. So, our first blog focused on all the personnel and positions in a courtroom. Today, we're taking a deeper at look at that. [...]

If you're looking for the best defense attorney in New Jersey, a quick Google search isn't going to magically give you the person you need. Plus, there's no guarantee the one you find will objectively be "the best." If you really want to find the best, you need to know what to look for! You [...]