Michael P. Gannon, lawyers in Waterbury, CT, Connecticut

Search & Seizure - Abandoned Property

The right under the Fourth Amendment of the United States Constitution to be secure against unreasonable searches and seizures is based upon an expectation of privacy in a person's property. If the person abandons his or her property, he or she no longer has an expectation of privacy in the property.More...

Prosecutorial Misconduct

Prosecutorial misconduct is where the prosecutor has engaged in some type of improper behavior before or during a case. For the prosecutor to be guilty of misconduct she must have knowingly engaged in an improper act. If the prosecutor used evidence that she believed was authentic and real although it was not, she would not be guilty of prosecutorial misconduct. There are numerous instances that constitute misconduct. Some of the instances of misconduct include:More...

FEDERAL LAWS REGARDING DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Although states are primarily responsible for prosecuting domestic violence cases, the federal government has enacted several laws that may be used by federal authorities to prosecute such cases. Those federal laws include the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA), the Gun Control Act of 1968 (GCA), and statutes that prohibit interstate domestic violence and interstate violation of a protective order. More...

SENTENCING CREDITS

A defendant who is sentenced for a criminal offense may be entitled to two types of credits. These credits are flat time credits and good time credits. Flat time credits are credits for pretrial jail time. Good time credits are credits for good behavior.More...

FEDERAL LAWS REGARDING THE MANUFACTURE AND SALE OF EXPLOSIVES

Federal laws provide criminal sanctions for offenses involving the manufacture and sale of explosives. Such laws include the Antiterrorism and Effective Death Penalty Act of 1996, which Act was enacted in response to the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. Federal laws also provide regulatory controls over interstate and foreign commerce in explosives. The regulatory controls are designed to assist states in regulating the manufacture, sale, transfer, and storage of explosives within their borders.More...