Most Popular

1500 questions
19
votes
3 answers

How is it constitutional to require defendants to pay for counsel?

In all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right ... to have the Assistance of Counsel for his defence. (U.S. Constitution, Sixth Amendment.) The last Supreme Court ruling on this appears to be Gideon v. Wainwright, which applies…
feetwet
  • 22,409
  • 13
  • 92
  • 189
19
votes
7 answers

Can one take BSD licensed code and distribute it under GPL?

Prompted by https://opensource.stackexchange.com/questions/304/can-i-take-bsd-licensed-code-and-distribute-it-under-gpl. The OP asks: Can I take code which is licensed under a permissive open source license (like the BSD license) and distribute it…
cnst
  • 5,128
  • 4
  • 33
  • 58
19
votes
4 answers

What would be Julian Assange's expected punishment, on the current English criminal law?

Currently, the only charges form the British side against him are, that he avoided the criminal procedure (he was, on the British law, a fugitive) by his "visit" on the Ecuadorian Embassy. Meanwhile, the British police has spent £11million. Now…
Gray Sheep
  • 988
  • 1
  • 9
  • 27
19
votes
4 answers

At what point does refusal to report a crime make one an accomplice to a crime?

This is a question out of curiosity only, indirectly inspired by my last question post. I'm wondering at what point not reporting a crime is itself a crime. I know that if someone happens to witness a bar fight and doesn't immediately call the cops…
dsollen
  • 10,179
  • 7
  • 59
  • 116
19
votes
2 answers

Does a citizen have to open the door to UK police if they do not give a reason?

I just watched a video of English police talking to a lady through her door. She refused to open up unless they told her why they were there. The police refused and told her to open up or they would force the door. She asked if they were going to…
ian
  • 507
  • 1
  • 3
  • 12
19
votes
2 answers

Why do judges use a hammer in court?

In many movies featuring a court scene, the judge is seen pounding a wood hammer on the desk to either silence the court room, or to announce a decision. Why do judges use a hammer? Is it only a Hollywood movie feature, or does it happen in real…
kevin
  • 1,773
  • 1
  • 18
  • 32
19
votes
2 answers

Someone has a video of me doing drugs. Is there legal protection against its release?

It's a bit like slander, except there is no false information. I wanted to Google whatever this may be called to see what my options are if this video is ever released. I'm stumped as to what to search for though. A psychopath of a roommate in…
I messed up
  • 301
  • 1
  • 2
  • 4
19
votes
3 answers

Can someone get protection under Double Jeopardy for a crime by arranging to be put on trial with fake evidence that is then disproven?

Lets say I just killed Bob (I'm doing a lot of that today). The police suspect me but currently have little evidence that I killed Bob. However, I haven't hidden the murder weapon and body well and can't move them now, so it's just a matter of…
dsollen
  • 10,179
  • 7
  • 59
  • 116
19
votes
2 answers

Liability for damages in the U.S. for finding and disclosing "0-day" computer exploit

In the IT/Programming security world, usually people contact the vendor/owner of a particular software if they find a bug or security vulnerability and give them time to patch it before releasing the bug or vulnerability for public…
Digital fire
  • 5,648
  • 5
  • 43
  • 76
19
votes
5 answers

Do Twitter disclaimers saying "opinions are my own" give any legal protection to the account owner?

A larger number of twitter accounts have a biography stating that tweets are their own opinion not that of their company. An example: Opinions are my own and not the views of my employer Does this actually protect the employee from being…
kalenpw
  • 293
  • 1
  • 2
  • 7
19
votes
3 answers

If an adult is raped by a minor, is it statutory rape?

Say an adult is raped by a minor, and does not give legally applicable consent regardless of knowledge of age of the minor. Do statutory rape charges against the adult still apply?
19
votes
6 answers

If my speedometer breaks without my knowledge, would I be responsible if I broke the speed limit by a small amount?

Let's say that I drive down an interstate highway at a speed of 68 miles per hour, where the speed limit is 65. I think that I am going 63 miles per hour because my speedometer is off by five miles per hour - without my knowledge. Would I be…
HDE 226868
  • 3,051
  • 22
  • 45
19
votes
2 answers

"Not for individual resale" - really?

In at least the US and UK lots of items that are sold in multipacks come with a notice on them that often reads: Not for individual resale That always strikes me as slightly odd - it looks like it's intended to be a contractual term that I can…
19
votes
2 answers

How does the Trump DOJ reconcile their birthright citizenship claims with the definition of "jursidiction"

As far as I understand it, the definition of "jurisdiction", as used in the Fourteenth Amendment and elsewhere, can roughly be described as "subject to the laws". That seems to mean that anyone not "subject to the jurisdiction" of a country…
Bobson
  • 857
  • 5
  • 12
19
votes
3 answers

What process must be followed to revoke a US permanent residency "green card"?

It was recently in the news that the executive branch is arresting permanent residents it does not like, on the theory that their green cards are being or somehow have already been revoked. There are some reasons for which a green card can be…
interfect
  • 5,497
  • 30
  • 53