Fleener Petersen, LLC Blog

Can Life History be Used at Trial?

Have you ever wondered if the things you’ve done before in your life would be admissible at a trial of the charges you currently face? That’s a very good question, and its answer could have a huge impact on your current criminal charge. Imagine you are charged with sexual assault, and the evidence for the current charge is quite thin, but there is evidence that you have done something similar before that you are charged with now. The jury will be much more likely to convict you of the charge you face now, based almost entirely on the fact that you have done something bad in the past, even though the evidence in the current case is not very strong.

With the addition of Devon Petersen as Partner, Fleener Petersen is expanding its presence in appellate representation. Devon brings a strong background in research and writing with a history degree from Princeton University. Following law school, these skills were tailored to the law during his work for District Court Judge Hon. Norman E. Young. While Devon finds every interesting of criminal law interesting and fulfilling, he is most at home researching, writing, and arguing the law.

Text messages and social media posts present a unique problem for the law. When the rules of evidence were first written, text messaging and social media had not yet been invented, let alone swept the globe as a major form of communication and interaction. In today’s world, text messages and social media posts can have great evidentiary value, but there are no rules specifically aimed at their admissibility into evidence in a court of law.

As most of you know, President Donald Trump’s former campaign manager, Paul Manafort, was charged and convicted in the Eastern District of Virginia of various crimes involving failing to file income taxes. He is awaiting sentencing.

Fleener Law is proud to announce the addition of a new Partner, Devon Petersen. In the coming days, look for the unveiling of a new website, firm name, and logo. We are very excited to bring Devon on and look forward to strengthening our already dominant place in criminal defense in the region.

Are you a hunter? Do you like exercising your constitutional right to bear arms? If you or someone close to you is charged with a misdemeanor for domestic violence, there are some facts you should know before going to court.

One Lawyer's Fight to Change Guantanamo Bay -- At the Expense of His Career. (Read Article)