Description of talk Talk given on 10/02/2020 for the UMass Amherst Cybersecurity Club. Event webpage Recently, the Director of the NSA ranked combating misinformation, disinformation, and influence operations as a top priority for the prosperity of United States. And, rightly so. As our lives move more-and-more online, we rely more-and-more upon the information provided to […]
Question: Hey Marvin, I have a law question for you. There’s a law in MA that allows pharmacists to prescribe emergency contraception. Can you help me figure out when it passed? It’s for an article I’m writing for a website. I think it was 2005 but I’m not 100% sure. Thanks! Answer: First, be careful […]
Should all police officers video-record their interactions with the public? As one can imagine, there’s lots of issues at play. Below are two good reviews of relevant issues. Also provided are some examples of body cameras. Some manufacturer videos
While doing some research about double jeopardy for a client, we came across documents talking about double jeopardy in the Boston Bomber’s (Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s) case. With some extra time on hand, curiosity led to reading more of the documents on his docket. Upon reading the docket, it became apparent that one of the most interesting […]
My new favorite case is Lawrence v. Texas. After I dug into this case, magical doors were opened. Lawrence is a game changer and my arsenal’s new favorite weapon. In its most basic sense, Lawrence reasons that laws are invalid when it punishes ‘victimless crimes’ or actions which are deemed immoral by the majority. More, […]
Provided below is a great article about an unique part of the fourth amendment. Enjoy! Prelude: Generally, the 4th amendment of the constitution of the United States commands: The right of the people to be secure in their persons, houses, papers, and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants […]
The U.S. Copyright Office just released the findings of its two-year study on copyright small claims. The report documents the significant costs and other challenges of addressing copyright claims that have a relatively low economic value in the current federal system, and recommends the establishment of an alternative voluntary system of adjudication to be housed […]
A blog post about Public Records Law, indeed … sounds dry and a waste of time. But, this is an area of law rarely seeing light. And, its an area where police departments routinely break the law, effectively denying citizens due process of law. Essentially, with few exceptions, citizens have a right to view records […]
In 2006, a 34-year-old man in Oklahoma was acquitted after he stuck a camera under a 16-year-old’s skirt at a store and snapped a picture of her underwear, the court ruled that the teen did not have “a right to a reasonable expectation of privacy.” Now, a Massachusetts man claims he too has the constitutional […]
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, we sometimes forget the precious freedom our country has. Granted, there are a many things that could be fixed regarding our country, e.g., typically only the rich can win a lawsuit, many people sue other people with no chance of ever winning. But, looking at things from […]
Interesting situation here: days after Matt Cordle, 22, from Ohio, confessed in an online video (seen below) to drinking heavily and driving the wrong way on I-670 in Ohio, leading to a fatal crash Downtown, he pleaded not guilty on charges of aggravated vehicular homicide and driving while intoxicated. Reasons are unclear as to why […]