By: Max Petrie Federal Rule of Evidence 410 provides that a defendant’s statements made during plea negotiations, when those negotiations do not result in a guilty plea, cannot later be used as evidence against the defendant.[1] Ideally, this creates a better atmosphere for negotiation, in which both the prosecution and the defense can be more forthcoming and open in hopes of reaching a plea deal. … Continue reading Federal Rule of Evidence 410, helpful? or hurtful?

By: Jessica King The internet, something everchanging in its utilization, but as well known, the law does not function well in a state of constant flux. A frequent topic inducing questions is the regulation of social media when pertaining to communications, especially with the increased usage of different apps, such as Snapchat. Sextortion, a crime that happens when an adult convinces a minor to show … Continue reading Is Social Media the Most Unsafe Place for Teens?

By: Melissa Kouri New Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin officially took office on January 15, 2022, and issued eleven executive orders later that same day.[1] The second of which effectively ended the existing Covid-19 mask mandate for students in Virginia public schools.[2] The order states that it was issued in the interest of “reaffirming the rights of parents in the upbringing, education, and care of their … Continue reading

By: Tyler Butt Earlier this Year, Virginia’s Governor Glenn Youngkin singed Executive Order 2. Which, as of January 24th ends mask mandates in Virginia Schools.[1] Executive Order 2 states that the reason to end Virginia’s school masking policy now is because “recent government orders requiring every virtually every child in Virginia to wear masks virtually at every moment they school have proven ineffective and impractical.” … Continue reading Virginia Expected to End Mask Mandates in Schools Via Statute

By: Jessica Rooke Florida is considered to be the invasive species hotspot. Native to Southeast Asia, Burmese pythons are an exotic (nonnative) species in South Florida. They are also an invasive species, which means that they are not constrained by natural factors as much as they were in their native habitat.[1] Invasive species have the potential to harm their new environments. As a matter of … Continue reading

By: Jennifer Hernandez With the surge of COVID, millions of Americans lost their jobs and suffered severe financial losses.[1] Without a reliable source of income, many faced the threat of eviction and possible homelessness unless swift action was taken to assist these individuals and families.[2] As a response, the CDC issued a temporary national moratorium for evictions directly tied to unpaid rent.[3] Several times throughout … Continue reading No Rental Assistance for Chesterfield County in the Midst of a COVID Spike

By: Samantha Callejas With the holiday season behind us, it is time to reflect on how a time meant for celebration turned into panic for so many Americans. The holiday season is usually a time for people to spend it with their loved ones, but many Americans found themselves’ struggling to find a COVID test to safely travel. On December 21, the Biden administration announced … Continue reading COVID-19: 2 Years Later, Why are Tests in Short Supply?

By: Elizabeth Vanesse Virginia’s newly-inaugurated governor, Glenn Youngkin, targeted the shortcomings of the Virginia Parole Board during his campaign. Youngkin’s campaign promised law and order, stricter sentencing, and fewer releases.[1] Although Youngkin’s campaign did target some structural issues within the Board itself, namely that it erred in not notifying a victim’s family before releasing a man who had been granted parole, fact checkers have raised … Continue reading Virginia’s Parole Board: How the Gubernatorial Race Shaped (or Misshaped) Public Understanding

By: Teresa Sun “Why am I still sitting here? Why can’t you just talk to the prosecutor and they will drop the charges?” After dozens of repeat phone calls to the public defender’s office, the client was still hung up on the question. He was charged with possession of a Schedule I controlled substance with intent to distribute, and the people around him have been … Continue reading New Cannibis Law in Virginia: Confusions and Disappointments Until At Least 2025

By: Hannah Laub More than eight out of ten Americans believe that DNA evidence is completely reliable or very reliable, and nearly seven in ten think the same about fingerprint evidence.[1] Faith in the validity of forensic evidence is echoed in pop culture, where crime television and film present the evidence as almost infallible in a courtroom. Average Americans determine whether criminal defendants are guilty … Continue reading The Unreliability of Forensic Evidence and Politicization Impeding Reform