Jules Epstein

March 18, 2004 | Law.com

Until this month, the use of hearsay in a criminal trial was governed by Ohio v. Roberts, a 1980 U.S. Supreme Court decision. Hearsay of an unavailable declarant would be admitted if the evidence fell within a firmly rooted hearsay exception or had particularized guarantees of trustworthiness.

By Jules Epstein

5 minute read

November 06, 2003 | The Legal Intelligencer

A recent Pennsylvania Supreme Court decision, Commonwealth v. Fulton, Pa., 830 A.2d 567 (2003) brings new light to the subject of when and how a criminal defendant's character (and what traits of that character) may be assailed or supported.

By Jules Epstein

5 minute read

December 31, 2003 | The Legal Intelligencer

In Commonwealth v. Boxley, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court clarified existing law to make clear the right for expansive, lawyer-conducted, individual voir dire in death penalty trials. In doing so, the court (speaking unanimously) also made clear the right to conduct a detailed inquiry into a venireperson's potential biases for or against capital punishment.

By Jules Epstein

5 minute read