Legal System

The conviction of 80-year-old Bill Cosby on aggravated indecent assault charges raises the question of how sentencing works in the case of an elderly defendant.

By Patrick J. Kiger

The Mann Act was passed in 1910 and even though it's been used legitimately, it's also been abused to nab men of color like Jack Johnson and Chuck Berry.

By John Donovan

High-profile cases over the past few years have shown the benefits — and pitfalls — of asking the public to report any suspicious activities they notice to the police. When does that tip over into racial or ethnic bias?

By Dave Roos

Does this mean that a website actually is responsible for the content created by that site's users?

By Jonathan Strickland

Drug courts have changed the lives of the thousands of people who've "graduated" through the program. But how exactly do the judges, rehab facilities and counselors facilitate these courts, and do they deter repeat offenders?

By John Perritano

Online ordination may be quick and easy and presiding at a friend's wedding may be fun and meaningful. But these marriages haven't always held up in court.

By Dave Roos

If you thought slavery ended with the ratification of the 13th amendment, think again. Slavery is flourishing across the globe.

By Diana Brown

Australia hasn't had a mass shooting in 22 years; the U.S. has had dozens during that same time.

By Patrick J. Kiger

The United States doesn't have a national ID, but it's slowly moving toward one with the REAL ID law. But what happens if a citizen doesn't have identification?

By John Perritano

Wayne Williams is serving a life sentence for killing dozens of black kids in Atlanta between 1979 and 1981. But some say he didn't do it and evidence of his innocence was covered up.

By Melanie Radzicki McManus

Hotels/motels must balance guests' privacy with the safety of other guests and employees.

By Patrick J. Kiger

Drowning in debt? Your driving privileges could disappear.

By Cherise Threewitt

Arsenic? Been there, done that! These six other poisons should delight you murder nerds and obscurists out there.

By Laurie L. Dove

The Logan Act prohibits American citizens from going behind the back of the U.S. government to deal with foreign powers. So why hasn't anybody ever been convicted?

By John Donovan

TripAdvisor deleted — and later reinstated — a hotel review where a visitor alleged she had been raped. How can review websites legally balance their duty to warn users as well as to beware of false, defamatory content?

By Dave Roos

Reports of famous people being accused of sexually harassment have been all over news sites and social media. What does U.S. law actually say sexual harassment is?

By Alia Hoyt

Charles Manson and his family have captivated the world since their murderous spree in the late '60s. What is it about this cult leader that made him so mesmerizing?

By Ed Grabianowski

The struggle to define which crimes are considered terrorism — and which are not — isn't easy.

By John Donovan

Ending federal pot prohibition could mean big changes and big bucks for states.

By John Donovan

Hotel security in the U.S. today seems to be where airport security was before 9/11. Will it change after the worst mass shooting in modern U.S. history?

By Dave Roos

A lawsuit in federal court in Colorado seeks to establish that the Colorado River ecosystem has legal rights similar to those of a person.

By Patrick J. Kiger

We don't expect to ever be in a mass shooting. But by assuming the worst can happen, one expert says, we take the first step toward being prepared.

By Jamie Allen

Three new studies highlight the regional differences in gun injuries and deaths among young children and teens.

By John Perritano

The Somerton Beach man mystery has baffled authorities and mystery buffs for decades, but DNA researchers have finally put a tentative name to the man found dead on Somerton Beach in 1948.

By Diana Brown

While most people think of the Secret Service's only job as protecting the president, its first mission was combating counterfeiting. How does it balance the two?

By Melanie Radzicki McManus