overcriminalization

One of the many things I like about living in North Carolina is the extent to which North Carolinians live up to the state motto: “Esse Quam Videri” (“To Be…

North Carolina’s criminal code is a complex beast. As we’ve mentioned time and time again, crimes are tucked all over the place. There’s a crime in more than 140…

Session Law 2019-198: Criminal Law Reform became law this month.  It marks an important step forward for criminal law reform. But the bill that was signed into law looks…

A 79-year-old Ohio widow, Nancy Segula, made national news last week when a judge sentenced her to serve 10 days in jail for feeding her neighbor’s abandoned cats. Although…

North Carolina’s criminal code is a muddled, archaic monstrosity. The laws that govern criminal behavior are often unclear, encouraging senseless litigation and allowing bad actors to slip through the cracks.

Criminal convictions are expensive. Court fees, fines, and other costs add up quickly and leave a defendant with crushing debt. And the collateral consequences of a criminal record can be…

Recently, New York Governor Andrew Cuomo accidentally self-reported a serious federal violation. He could face a $100,000 fine. See if you can spot it here: “One of the highlight…

Last month, I wrote about Session Law 2018-69: An Act to Assist the Criminal Law Recodification Working Group, which had just been unanimously approved by both houses of…

Two weeks ago, both houses of the N.C. General Assembly voted unanimously to approve House Bill 379: An Act to Assist the Criminal Law Recodification Working Group. This week,…

Last week, both chambers of the N.C. General Assembly unanimously approved House Bill 379: An Act to Assist the Criminal Law Recodification Working Group. If Governor Roy Cooper…