| Comments During Closing Arguments and Curative Instructions |
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| If the defendant suspects that the prosecutor has made an inappropriate comment or remark during closing arguments, the defendant should make an immediate and contemporaneous objection. If the defendant fails to immediately object to the comment or remark, the defendant's later objection to the comment or remark will be deemed waived.
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| INJURY TO A CHILD, AN ELDERLY PERSON, OR A DISABLED INDIVIDUAL |
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| A person commits the offense of injury to a child, an elderly person, or a disabled individual when the person intentionally, knowingly, or recklessly causes serious bodily injury or impairment to the child, the elderly person, or the disabled individual. More... |
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| Loan Sharking or Usury |
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| Loan sharking is defined as when a borrower is charged interest above an established legal rate. Depending on the state, lenders typically cannot charge more than 60% interest per year. Loan sharking is also commonly referred to as usury. More... |
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| RELEASE ON BAIL PENDING AN APPEAL |
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| Whether a defendant is entitled to be released on bail pending his or her appeal depends upon the type of offense of which the defendant was convicted and the length of sentence that is imposed on the defendant. If the defendant is convicted of a misdemeanor, the defendant is generally entitled to reasonable bail pending his or her appeal. If the defendant is convicted of a felony, the length of the defendant's sentence generally determines whether the defendant is entitled to bail. More... |
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| A DEFENDANT'S RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL |
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| A defendant in a criminal prosecution is guaranteed the right to a jury trial under the Sixth Amendment to the United States Constitution unless the prosecution is for a petty offense. A petty offense is defined as an offense that carries a penalty of no more than six months in jail. The right to a jury trial applies to federal and state offenses. In addition, most states have enacted constitutional provisions and statutes that guarantee a defendant the right to a jury trial. More... |
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