Post-Conviction Appeals Articles

• How a Criminal is Sentenced for a Crime
  The final phase of a criminal case, absent an appeal, is sentencing.  It is during the sentencing phase that the judge decides what a convicted criminal’s … More
• The Pros and Cons of Plea Bargaining
  When faced with criminal charges, a defendant often has one simple goal.  That is, to minimize the potential penalty.  Of course, being found innocent at … More
• Sentencing Guidelines: Fair Sentences or a Denial of Trial by Jury?
  In the 1980s, it became apparent to those in the U.S. government that there were wide sentencing disparities in the United States federal court system.  … More
• Wrongful Convictions
  Despite the extensive constitutional protections built into the American justice system that make it one of the most progressive systems in the modernized world, it … More
• Wrongful Convictions Resulting from False Confessions
  In a substantial number of cases involving wrongful criminal convictions, innocent defendants voluntarily plead guilty, or otherwise confess to the crime with which … More
• Overturning Wrongful Convictions Through DNA Testing
  While DNA testing is a routine procedure used by prosecutors in criminal cases today, it is still a relatively new technology in the criminal justice system. As … More
• Wrongful Incarceration Due to Police Planted Evidence
  The American legal system is one of the most revered in the world for the justice that it typically brings to victims and for the fair trials that it is designed to … More
• Do You Swear to Tell the Whole Truth? The Admissibility of Lie Detector Tests
  One of the greatest challenges for the judge and jury in the courtroom is to determine which witnesses are telling the truth. While witnesses must promise to … More