Criminal Law Newsletters

AGGRAVATED SEXUAL ASSAULT

A person commits the offense of aggravated sexual assault when he or she intentionally or knowingly, without another person's consent, causes the penetration of the anus or the female sexual organ of another person, causes the penetration of the mouth of the other person with a sexual organ, or causes the sexual organ of the other person to contact or to penetrate the mouth, anus, or sexual organ of the person or any other person.

CONFESSIONS MUST BE VOLUNTARY

The Fifth Amendment of the United States Constitution provides that no person shall be deprived of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. The Fourteenth Amendment of the Constitution provides that no state shall deprive any person of life, liberty, or property without due process of law. Due process of law requires that a person has notice, an opportunity to be heard, and a right to make an informed choice. An informed choice can only be made with regard to a confession if the confession is voluntary.

Embezzlement and False Entries within Financial Institutions

There are numerous types of financial institutional fraud. Some of the types include both embezzlement and false entries made by representatives of financial institutions.

OBTAINING CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES BY FRAUD

A person commits an offense when he or she acquires, obtains, or attempts to obtain possession of a controlled substance by misrepresentation, fraud, or forgery. The person obtains a controlled substance by fraud when the person forges or alters a prescription for the controlled substance.

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.