Confidentiality and the Law “Protecting my sources” has long been a vital part of news reporting. Confidentiality is often also claimed by physicians, counselors, and the clergy. How far that can go and whether or not information can be requested for a legal proceeding of has long been a hotly contested arena for debate. ThereRead More
Category: Legal Terms
What Constitutes a Criminal Assault?
Forensic psychologists are often called upon to provide an expert opinion in assault cases. They may be required to assess the overall state of a person facing assault charges or the assault victim. It is therefore important to first understand what constitutes a criminal assault charge before a psychological assessment is done. For most people,Read More
How “Expert” is Expert Testimony?
The Eye-Opener The legal system as we know it, places considerable emphasis on expert testimony. On a reasonable scale, there is no expectation that such testimony would be accurate at all times and in all instances. However, digging deep into how “expert” an expert testimony is, brings up an unexciting, and frankly, appalling state ofRead More
The Insanity Defense
Legally Insane: The Insanity Defense The insanity defense is one of the least successful defenses in a criminal defense case. The determination of the suspect’s mental state at the time of the criminal offense, as well as at the time of trial can be a challenging task; the defense actually has the burden of proofRead More
Jury Selection | Importance of Experiential Questioning
Jury Selection It can be argued that the selection of a good jury is more important than any facts of the case. I happen to believe that the facts of the case are equally important to a good jury selection. Many fellow criminal attorneys have claimed that no amount of evidence against their client wouldRead More
Conflict Between Two Disciplines : Psychology and Law
Conflict Between Two Disciplines Psychology And Law Out of the need to resolve disagreements, laws are created and implemented by people. For the most part, laws can be seen as a reflection of the values of the majority in a society. Laws are created, changed, or thrown away because as time passes, the values of aRead More