The short answer is that likely a warrant has been issued for your arrest. That may, however, sound scarier than it is. Usually, your mistake is correctable if handled correctly and thoroughly. There are many factors which will ultimately determine what consequence, if any, there will be for you missing…
What is an arraignment? An arraignment is usually how a criminal case commences against you. There are exceptions to this general rule, which I shall talk about later. At an arraignment, typically a plea of NOT GUILTY is entered against you and a Pre-Trial Conference date set. Arraignments can be…
Three decades after the death of a 17-year-old Malden girl, a Middlesex jury found a Georgia man guilty of her murder. Rodney Daniels, 50, was convicted of first-degree murder this month for shooting Patricia Moreno on the fire escape of her apartment on July 20, 1991. Moreno had been staying…
If you have a car crash in Massachusetts, you are legally required to stop your vehicle and exchange information with the other parties involved. But drivers sometimes leave the scene of an accident for a variety of reasons: they are unaware of the collision, they have issues with their insurance…
What Constitutes Disorderly Conduct in Massachusetts? Over 2,000 people a year find themselves under arrest for disorderly conduct in Massachusetts. But what exactly is disorderly conduct? Often used as a catch-all offense when someone acts in a way that is likely to upset others, disorderly conduct actually applies to a…
What is a show cause hearing? A show cause hearing is held before a Massachusetts district court magistrate to establish whether or not there is probable cause that you committed the crime you are accused of. In other words, the prosecution must demonstrate that the evidence shows reasonable grounds for…
Foreign extradition is the process by which a criminal found within the United States, is handed over to another country for the sake of criminal proceedings in that country. This process is regulated by treaty and is handled by the federal government. The United States has agreements with over 100…
Who is a clerk’s hearing available to? A Clerk’s Magistrate Hearing, also known as a Show Cause Hearing, is an incredible opportunity for you to prevent a criminal case from appearing on your criminal record (CORI). You will receive a notice to appear for a clerk’s hearing if you were…
A California man has become the second affluent parent to be sentenced to serve jail time in relation to a wide-reaching fraud case involving college admissions. Devin Sloane, CEO of a Los Angeles water and wastewater treatment facility, was sentenced to serve four months, plus two years of supervised release,…
A hate crime is defined as a prejudice or bias-motivated crime that occurs when a victim is targeted because of his or her membership in a particular race or social group. Even if the victim does not actually belong to that group, the act can be classified as a hate…