Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Michael D. Cicchini, JD (Kenosha, WI), is a criminal defense attorney. Super Lawyers and Milwaukee Magazine named him among "the top lawyers" for 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2009. He graduated summa cum laude from the Marquette University Law School, and has also published extensively on criminal and constitutional law, including articles in the Tennessee Law Review and the Arizona State Law Journal.

Amy B. Kushner, PhD (Kenosha, WI), is a lecturer in English at the University of Wisconsin–Parkside in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Previously, she taught literature and composition at the State University of New York at Stony Brook, where she earned her doctorate in English literature. She is also a contributing author to 101 Horror Films, 101 Science Fiction Films, 101 Gangster Films, and 101 War Films.

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BUT THEY DIDN'T READ ME MY RIGHTS!

Prometheus Books

Contents

Introduction..................................................................................................13DISCLAIMER—READ THIS FIRST!.............................................................................17Acknowledgments...............................................................................................191 Is it against the law to look at someone the wrong way?.....................................................232 Can you be convicted of drunk driving if you're not driving the car?........................................263 Can a professional fighter be charged with battery for winning a fight?.....................................294 Is marijuana legal?.........................................................................................325 Can you be convicted of bail jumping if you never leave the state?..........................................346 Can you be convicted of a crime for yelling in your own home?...............................................377 Can you be convicted of "carrying a concealed weapon" if your gun is not concealed?.........................418 Can you be convicted of "statutory rape" if the minor lied about his or her age?............................479 Is oral sex illegal?........................................................................................5010 Is it a crime to cheat on your spouse?.....................................................................5311 Is prostitution legal in Las Vegas?........................................................................5612 Do the police have to read you your rights when they arrest you?...........................................6113 Can the police search your car if you have an air freshener hanging on the mirror?.........................6514 Can the police tell when you are lying?....................................................................6915 Can the police lie to you when they interrogate you?.......................................................7316 Can the police search your home without a warrant?.........................................................7717 Can you make a citizen's arrest?...........................................................................8118 Since I'm innocent until proven guilty, will I still have to sit in jail before trial?.....................8719 Can a child be convicted of a crime?.......................................................................9020 If you accuse someone of a crime, can you later "drop the charges"?........................................9321 If you punch someone in a fight, are your hands considered dangerous weapons?..............................9722 Can hearsay be used against you in court?..................................................................10323 Does a speedy trial mean you'll get your trial within six months?..........................................10724 Can you be convicted of a crime for a mistake or an accident?..............................................11025 Can you be convicted of multiple crimes for a single act?..................................................11526 Can you be convicted of a crime without any evidence?......................................................11827 If a jury convicts you of a crime, can you appeal the verdict?.............................................12128 Can you beat your case by claiming you're insane?..........................................................12529 If you're charged with a crime, can you represent yourself in court?.......................................12930 Are public defenders "real lawyers"?.......................................................................13531 If you can't afford a lawyer, will the court appoint one for you?..........................................13932 Do contracts have to be in writing to be enforceable?......................................................14733 Will a contract be enforceable because it is in writing?...................................................15034 Can promises be enforced, even if they're not enforceable as contracts?....................................15335 Can a minor (under eighteen years old) enter into a contract?..............................................15636 Are disclaimers, or no-liability clauses, enforceable?.....................................................16037 Are there legal ways to get out of an otherwise enforceable contract?......................................16438 If you break up with your fiancé, can you keep the ring?..............................................17139 In a divorce, does the mother have an advantage over the father for child custody?.........................17440 In a divorce, can a "pre-nup" protect your assets from your ex-spouse?.....................................17741 Can the government order you to pay support for someone else's child?......................................18142 If you find lost or abandoned property, do you have to pay taxes on it?....................................18743 If you barter for goods or services, do you have to pay taxes?.............................................19044 Is it possible to lose your property through "adverse possession"?.........................................19545 Is it possible to use your neighbor's property without trespassing?........................................19846 Can you sue a restaurant if your coffee is too hot?........................................................20347 Can a burglar sue me if he gets injured on my property?....................................................20748 Can I be sued for helping someone during an emergency?.....................................................21049 People are spreading rumors about me—can I sue them for slander?.....................................21450 Do you have to go to law school to be a lawyer?............................................................21951 Do you have to pass the bar exam to be a lawyer?...........................................................22252 Do all lawyers go to trial?................................................................................22553 Is becoming a lawyer the road to riches?...................................................................228Afterword.....................................................................................................233Endnotes......................................................................................................235Index.........................................................................................................273About the Authors.............................................................................................275

Chapter One

Yes. It certainly can be. And not only might it be against the law, but it might also be considered criminal behavior for which you could wind up with probation, a hefty fine, a jail sentence (which is typically one year or less of incarceration), or, in some cases, even a lengthy prison sentence.

How can this possibly be? Well, it probably begins with our love of government. We love the concept of government so much that we have multiple layers of it. There is the federal government, the state governments, and then the multiple levels of local governments. On top of them,...