We've discussed what "beyond a reasonable doubt" means several times before, here and here. However, it's necessary in this case to show the connection between this idea and "innocent until proven guilty." If you recall from last week, this phrase means that the court needs to assume the innocence of the accused until the facts [...]
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Mar, 2020Manslaughter Laws in New Jersey
A few weeks ago we covered Degrees of Murder. In addition to defining the differences between 1st degree and 2nd degree murder, we also mentioned manslaughter. However, a short little paragraph in one blog won’t do it justice. A manslaughter charge can get complicated since it involves proving that the crime committed was accidental rather [...]
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Mar, 2020Wire Fraud and New Jersey Law
If you remember the movie Office Space, three friends loathe their dull lives as slavish office drones working every day in the most lifeless, soul-sucking work environment imaginable. In their existential angst, they decide to con the company. How? Every wired transaction that comes through the business includes fractions of pennies under the dollar. So, [...]
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Oct, 2019
Your Forgery Lawyer in New Jersey
Do you remember that movie Catch Me If You Can? If you don’t think forgery or fraud comes with serious penalties, watch that movie. Law.com defines forgery as “the crime of creating a false document, altering a document, or writing a false signature for the illegal benefit of the person making the forgery.” Consequently, if [...]
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Aug, 2019What is Mens Rea?
“Mens rea.” Maybe you’ve heard that term thrown around involving your case. Maybe you remember it from this scene in Legally Blonde (2001). What is mens rea? What does it have to do with the law? What significance might it play in your case? As we continue our Mark W. Catanzaro blog series on legal [...]