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If you are stopped by police and the officer declares "I smell the odor of marijuana"; can the officer then search your car without a warrant? In the past, that simple statement "I smell marijuana", was enough to open the door for police to search a person's vehicle...

Federal authorities in San Francisco charged two women with robbery affecting interstate commerce, for stealing $ 90 worth of items from a Walgreens drugstore, by claiming to have the coronavirus. The federal complaint alleges that on April 6, 2020, the two women...

The COVID-19 pandemic has upended the semester for college students across the country - and thousands of incarcerated students are no exception. On the outside, college professors are conducting classes using ZOOM. But in prison, where the vast majority of...

Under the new Paycheck Protection Program, small business applicants can obtain forgivable loans to make payroll and other other qualified expenses, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, consideration of an applicant's prior criminal record is front and center on the...

On April 27, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court punted on deciding the constitutionality of a New York City law restricting guns outside the home. The decision arose from a New York City law that barred the transport of firearms licensed for possession in the home, to any...

The Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) is a forgivable loan program created by the Federal CARES Act. The purpose is to help eligible small businesses, who are affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, keep employees on the payroll. In this program, small businesses are...

A unanimous decision by the Ohio Supreme Court has held that Ohio's rape-shield law prohibits an accuser's consensual and non-consensual sexual activity from being admitted as evidence against the accuser, in rape cases. In an opinion released April 22, 2020, the high...

On March 9, 2020, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine declared a State of Emergency due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On March 19, 2020, Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor, issued a formal guidance to local courts which provided recommendations for courts to consider...

On April 20, 2020, the U.S. Supreme ruled that the United States Constitution bans non-unanimous jury verdicts in cases involving serious crimes. There are only two states, Louisiana and Oregon, that have allowed such verdicts in recent years. Both states had...

The COVID-19 is changing the way we all live and work. That includes the practice of criminal law. More working from home, less working at the office. More digital payments, less cash. For most criminal trial lawyers, there is a pause on most courtroom appearances...