Cleveland Criminal Law Blog

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),...

Ohio Governor Mike DeWine postponed three executions set for early 2021. The Governor cited the state's difficulty in convincing drug companies to sell the state new lethal injection drugs. The state is concerned that if pharmaceutical companies find out that they...

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...

On July 8, 2020, the Ohio Governor issued an order requiring masks in seven counties with spiking COVID-19 cases. The order requires a mask to be worn in any indoor location that is not a residence (which means stores, offices, businesses and public buildings);...

For any defendant facing federal charges, the pressure to plead guilty is very strong. There are two main reasons for this: 1) the extreme financial burden of going to trial with a private lawyer; and 2) the long sentence that waits those who lose at trial. So when...