John B. Tucker

The Fifth Amendment’s double jeopardy clause prevents defendants from being put on trial more than once for the same offense. A key exception is that separate sovereigns can prosecute defendants for the same criminal acts. For example, if a person commits a single act that violates both federal and state laws, they could face trial in both federal and state courts.

Navigating co-parenting relationships is not easy. But when the focus of a co-parenting relationship can continuously be centered around the needs of the children involved, it is possible to develop a healthy, workable dynamic. https://bit.ly/2QG9GDM

Just what sort of emergency allows police to enter your home without a warrant? That was the question before the U.S. Supreme Court recently. https://n.pr/3ss4odc

Forty-nine states and territories have hate crime laws -- but they vary. To label something a hate crime is, in many states, to add weight to sentencing. #CriminalLaw https://cnn.it/3vIwJy4

Although alimony is not deductible or reportable as income for divorces occurring on or after Jan. 1, 2019, the previous rules apply to you if you were divorced by Dec. 31, 2018. If you were, you can deduct alimony or must report it as income if it meets the certain criteria, according to the IRS. https://yhoo.it/3rVEHS1

The Department of Justice told the U.S. Supreme Court that it thinks low-level crack cocaine offenders should be among the beneficiaries of a federal law that reduced certain prison sentences. #CriminalLaw https://reut.rs/3vLbnQn

Divorced parents have to navigate a lot of challenges, but there’s a new issue looming on the horizon thanks to the $1.9 trillion American Rescue Plan: the child tax credit. https://cnb.cx/30B6J9t

Before a criminal case goes to trial, the prosecutor and the defense have the opportunity to make pretrial motions. These motions can affect many issues at trial, from what evidence can be introduced to which charges will be tried. An experienced attorney can suggest which motions could be useful to your case and file them on your behalf.

Police forces across the U.S. made more than 20,000 requests last year for footage captured by Ring’s video doorbells and other home-security cameras, underscoring how the rapid growth of inexpensive home surveillance technology has given American law enforcement an unprecedented ability to monitor neighborhood life. https://wapo.st/38pRIeT

For many U.S. couples yearning to be married, the pandemic has wreaked havoc on their wedding plans while bolstering their teamwork and resilience. For couples already married, it has posed a host of new tests, bringing some closer, pulling others apart. https://bit.ly/3r7eiAq

A parenting plan spells out the way parents will share time with the children. The right schedule is the one that fits your family best. https://bit.ly/2O2nYgM

The U.S. Supreme Court heard arguments Wednesday in a major case testing whether police can enter a home without a warrant when pursuing someone for a minor crime. https://n.pr/3uyguTw

Most criminal systems in the US divide their crimes into different categories according to the seriousness of the offense. Felonies are the most serious classification of crimes, and may be punishable by prison sentences of a year or longer. A misdemeanor, however, is usually a crime with a jail sentence of a year or less. #CriminalLaw

Though adoption is a wonderful thing, the process can be stressful as well as expensive. Thankfully, many families are eligible for relief in the form of the adoption tax credit. https://bit.ly/3aMEISr

In prisons around the country, COVID-19 outbreaks have followed transfers of prisoners or prison workers. Many state prison systems had reduced or limited the number of prisoners they moved due to the pandemic, but some lifted those restrictions by September, worrying families of prisoners and correctional officers who work in the prisons. https://bit.ly/3nFV5UC

Police agencies from Hawaii to New York have used drones for years, but mostly in simple, manually flown ways. But the latest drone technology is raising civil liberties concerns, especially as drones gain the power to track vehicles and people automatically. https://nyti.ms/38oMjnv

Making the effort to formally establish paternity is about much more than the potential to receive child support. #FamilyLaw