The practice of criminal law in New York is incredibly complex and sophisticated. The Penal Law, for example, has one of the most complex sentencing regimes in the nation, along with numerous crimes, such as depraved indifference murder, that have rich bodies of case law interpreting their meaning. The Criminal Procedure Law is filled with traps and missed opportunities for the unwary and uninformed. The New York Court of Appeals and the four Departments of the Appellate Division regularly churn out important decisions that interpret and apply these provisions.
At the same time, there exists a scarcity of resources--particularly on the web--for attorneys and judges to stay current on the substantive and procedural law of New York criminal practice. This blog hopes to fill this void by providing:
- information about new cases from the Court of Appeals and Appellate Division;
- summaries of important new decisions;
- commentaries about emerging and contentious topics;
- advice about how to handle particular legal questions and problems;
- news about important pending cases and controversies; and
- a forum for the exchange of ideas about these topics, through user comments.
Although I have a background in both prosecution and criminal defense, I am hoping to offer a neutral, objective perspective on these subjects. I am not maintaining this blog as advertising or a way to obtain clients. As a full-time law professor, I hope to bring an academic, yet practical, perspective on New York Criminal Law and Procedure
Comments and suggestions are always welcome. (LC)
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