Tasteful spray paint art is a sight to behold. In the skillful hands of visionaries who see entire cities as canvases, simple spray cans can breathe life and color into barren buildings, creating unlikely masterpieces out of brick and mortar. Sadly, there is a darker, criminal side to this unique, transformational form of art. When [...]

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 [...]

Human law is subject to the flaws of human reason, and practitioners of law, no matter how experienced, make mistakes. When a hasty trial or a questionable verdict is passed, it is sometimes possible for a defendant to appeal for clemency in the form of a reprieve. Particularly popularized for postponing the dates of death [...]

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 [...]

For a country with such an intricate system of checks and balances designed to neutralize undue power, the existence of an executive pardon power may seem odd; it may even seem archaic. But things aren’t always what they seem, and there’s more to this fascinating form of clemency than first meets the eye. Curious about [...]

The voluntary, unlawful taking of a human life is considered to be among the most heinous of crimes. While countless films, tv shows, news stories and videogames have desensitized the populace to murder and other criminal forms of homicide, the genuine article is as tragic and terrible as it ever was. Though different states often [...]

How long should past mistakes cause a penitent person to suffer? Is a system that shuts out those with a criminal record encouraging improvement or repeat offenders? If you have a criminal record, you’ve likely wrestled with these troubling thoughts and harsh realities. The good news is this: for many of you, there’s hope to [...]

Living with a criminal record in New Jersey can feel overwhelming and devastating; a blemished record can turn even the simplest procedures into drawn out difficulties. Job applications, housing opportunities and even educational advancement can be hampered by an unclean record. But errors of the past don’t have to be life sentences, and exploring expungement [...]

Last year, we gave you some basic tips for controlling road rage. Again, we all know the feeling. Someone cuts us off on the highway, nearly hits us because of an illegal move, or recklessly tailgates us. How infuriating! For most of us, it’s nothing more than a short burst of frustration. Yet for some [...]