Criminal defendants are entitled to due process. One crucial component of due process is that a criminally accused be given a trial “by an impartial jury.” In this regard, the United States Supreme Court has held that the impartiality of a jury is compromised by “any private communication, contact, or tampering directly or indirectly, with […]

When law enforcement officials seize property — like a vehicle, a briefcase or a laptop computer — as part of a criminal investigation, law enforcement is required to obtain a warrant from a judge for a subsequent search of the contents. If there is probable cause, the police are allowed to temporarily seize the property […]