| RELIEF FROM JUDGMENTS REGARDING COMPETENCY TO STAND TRIAL |
| |
| A defendant does not generally have a right to appeal a judgment from a hearing on the defendant's competency to stand trial. The defendant only has a right to appeal his or her conviction for the offense with which he or she was charged. More... |
| |
| Bribery and Financial Institutions |
| |
| Bribery with respect to financial institutions is a federal offense.More... |
| |
| THE CLASSIFIED INFORMATION PROCEDURES ACT |
| |
| When the federal government prosecutes a criminal offense that may involve the use or disclosure of classified information, the prosecution is required to be conducted in accordance with the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA). A federal prosecutor is responsible for taking reasonable precautions against the unauthorized disclosure of classified information during the trial for the offense. This responsibility applies when the government is intending to use classified information in its case or when a defendant is intending to use classified information in his or her defense.
More... |
| |
| PARDONS |
| |
| A pardon is an act on the part of a state's governor that exempts a defendant from punishment that has been assessed by a trial court. A pardon is also known as an act of clemency. State constitutions generally set forth a governor's power to grant pardons. Some state constitutions allow the governor to grant pardons in all criminal cases, except for cases involving treason or impeachment.More... |
| |
| Opening Statements during a Criminal Trial |
| |
| In a criminal proceeding each side has the opportunity to present an opening statement to the judge or jury. The prosecution presents its opening statement first and then the defendant presents his opening statement. In some states, the trial judge permits the defendant to defer giving his opening statement until the close of the prosecution's case. If there are multiple defendants being tried in one case, each attorney may give an opening statement for each defendant. More... |
| |
