Hey yall....
I am beginning to do some research on a possible appeal for JD.... He committed his crime when he was 14 years old.... apparently a "jailhouse" lawyer (actually, the guy really was an attorney before he caught his case) has told him that some guys are getting out on appeals based on violation of their rights in questioning....
JD did NOT have a parent present when he was questioned by the police... He was interrogated for 12 hours straight (from 4 pm to 4 am) and signed a written statement without a parent or attorney present (something he probably didn't have the capability of understanding the potential consequences of as a 14 year old....) That statement ended up being the only evidence against him....
I am totally new to legal research. If anyone knows of any cases or has suggestions on where and how to start looking I would appreciate the help!!
Thanks!!

Shawna, I have no experience with legal issues, just trying to learn myself, because Darrell also needs an appeal, he was 17 at the moment of the crime.Good luck in your research and let me know what you find out, ok?

I believe one of the best web sites to use for your searches is Findlaw and it can be found at

http://www.findlaw.com

You can access the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure at

http://www.law.cornell.edu/rules/frcp/overview.htm

You can access the findlaw legal dictionary at:

http://dictionary.lp.findlaw.com

Findlaws legal commentary can be found at

http://writ.news.findlaw.com

Accessing databases to do legal research is on a non-payment base for the most part. However, access to say the U.S. District Courts, requires a PACER account in order to obtain court documents and so forth.

Please keep in mind that doing legal research is time consuming and requires a great deal of patience and focus, as well as being able to interpet court opinions and caselaw overall... it is a journey in learning that I encourage everyone to travel...just remember that learning comes one step at a time. I wish you all the best in your journey.

Chris

good links Chris

I wish you great great luck Shawna!!! I know that looking through all that mumbo jumbo of legalities isn't always easy.....so I wish you the best of luck in all your research.