Ohio Postpones Executions

After the riot at the U.S. Capitol on January 6, 2021, we heard it all over the TV, the news and social media, that the people involved would likely be facing felony charges. So what is a felony, and what exactly does that mean? In the United States, there are two...

I recently had a client call me and say that he received "something about some kind of court date at the Federal Grand Jury". I asked him, "so what did you do with this document?". He responded, "I put it in my stack of papers that I need to read". I then responded...

I have often found myself telling a client, "our next step in the process is to attend the pre-trial conference". The problem is that I never really explained what a pre-trial conference is, or what happens at a pre-trial conference. In plain English, a pre-trial...

Once a person enters a "Not Guilty" plea to the charges filed against them, the next phase of a criminal case is called the discovery phase. Defense counsel files a written motion demanding discovery from the prosecutor. Discovery is the fancy lawyer word for finding...

I recently attended a bond hearing for a client where the court set a bond and conditions for release. Once the client posted the bond, he called me and asked "So what is the next step?" I told him that his case would now be sent to the Grand Jury for review of...

As a criminal defense lawyer, I often get this question. An indictment is a document that advises an accused of felony charges that have been filed against them. A felony offense is typically punishable by a prison term of greater than one year. An indictment is...

I have often told clients that our next hearing is an "arraignment". I never really gave too much thought about it, until a new client innocently asked "what is an arraignment, and what happens at an arraignment?" Great question, that many lawyers (myself included),...

A Cleveland man has been charged in Federal Court with False Information and Hoaxes, after falsely claiming that he had coronavirus, when being arrested. The Cleveland man was arrested by Greater Cleveland Regional Transit Authority police, on an open parole violation...

Effective at 6 PM on July 23, 2020, Ohio will require people to wear masks. A mask will be required: 1) when in an indoor location that is not a residence (stores, restaurants & bars, offices, just about everywhere); 2) when outdoors and unable to maintain a safe...

Presently, there are approximately a dozen counties in Ohio which are under the Governor's mask order. This order is active in "code red" counties - those who are experiencing a high level of COVID-19 cases. The Governor has indicated that obtaining compliance with...