| HUNG JURY |
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A jury is required to render a unanimous verdict in a criminal trial. If the jury cannot reach a unanimous verdict, the jury is considered to be a hung jury. A trial court must declare a mistrial in the event of a hung jury.
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| Foreign Arrests |
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| If an American citizen violates a foreign law in a foreign country he may be arrested for the foreign offense. An American businessperson or tourist is not afforded any type of immunity such as that enjoyed by diplomats. More... |
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| CONSPIRACY |
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| A person commits the offense of conspiracy if he or she, with the intent to commit an underlying felony, agrees with one or more persons to engage in conduct that would constitute the underlying felony and performs an overt act in furtherance of the agreement. The person must know that the underlying felony will be committed. The person must also agree in advance to aid the commission of the underlying felony. The overt act does not need to be a criminal act in itself. More... |
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| FEDERAL HABEAS CORPUS PETITIONS |
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| A state prisoner who is seeking federal habeas corpus relief must file a petition in a federal court. The petition does not need to be filed by the prisoner himself or herself. An attorney or a "next friend" of the prisoner may file the petition on behalf of the prisoner. More... |
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| Food Drug and Cosmetic Act |
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| A corporation, a corporate officer, a corporate director or a corporate employee may be charged with violating the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. The Act prohibits the misbranding and adulterating of food, drugs, or cosmetics. A violation of this act is generally classified as a misdemeanor. However, if the defendant violated the Act with the actual intent to defraud or mislead, the classification of the offense is elevated to a felony. More... |
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