Criminal Procedure & Public Interest Researcher
David Chen conducts in-depth research on criminal justice procedure, constitutional Fourth and Fifth Amendment protections, and state-by-state judicial systems. He works to ensure legal explainers accurately cite statutory codes, judicial rules, and court precedents.
A comprehensive legal guide to third-country deportations under U.S. immigration law, exploring INA § 241, bilateral treaties, Safe Third Country Agreements, non-refoulement under CAT, and federal court limits.
A criminal record is an official government registry documenting an individual's contacts with law enforcement and the courts, including arrests, charges, dispositions, and convictions.
Expungement is a court-ordered legal process through which an arrest or criminal conviction record is erased, sealed, or permanently removed from public view.
Self-defense is an affirmative legal defense that justifies an individual's use of reasonable force to protect themselves or others against an imminent, unlawful threat of harm.
Comparative and contributory negligence are legal doctrines that determine how financial compensation is awarded in personal injury cases when both parties share fault.
DUI and DWI are legal acronyms used across U.S. states to classify criminal offenses involving operating a motor vehicle while impaired by alcohol, drugs, or controlled substances.
Felonies are serious crimes generally punishable by more than one year in prison; misdemeanors are lesser offenses usually capped at one year in a local jail.
After an arrest, a person is booked, brought before a judge, informed of the charges, and given a chance at release on bail while the case moves toward a plea or trial.
Miranda rights are the warnings police must give before questioning someone in custody, including the right to remain silent and the right to a lawyer.
Probable cause is the Fourth Amendment standard that requires police to have trustworthy facts showing a fair probability of a crime before arresting someone or getting a search warrant.
Divorce is a state court process that legally ends a marriage and decides property division, support, and child custody. Every state now allows some form of no-fault divorce.
Child custody covers who makes major decisions for a child and where the child lives. Courts decide it based on the best interests of the child.
Child support is money a parent pays to help cover a child's living costs. Every state calculates it with an official guideline formula based mainly on income and parenting time.
A prenuptial agreement is a written contract signed before marriage that sets out how property, debts, and sometimes spousal support will be handled if the marriage ends.
A personal injury claim seeks compensation from someone whose careless or wrongful conduct caused you physical, emotional, or financial harm.
Negligence is the failure to use the care a reasonably careful person would use in the same situation. It is the most common basis for personal injury lawsuits.
Negligence is careless conduct that causes harm; an intentional tort is a deliberate act like assault or fraud. The difference affects proof, damages, insurance, and deadlines.
A statute of limitations is the legal deadline for filing a lawsuit or bringing criminal charges. Once it passes, the claim is usually barred for good.
A green card is proof of lawful permanent resident status, which lets a non-citizen live and work in the United States permanently and eventually apply for citizenship.
A visa is a travel document that lets you ask to enter the U.S. for a specific purpose; a green card is proof of permanent residence. They serve very different roles.
Naturalization is the process by which a lawful permanent resident becomes a U.S. citizen after meeting residence, character, English, and civics requirements.
Employment-based visas let foreign workers come to the U.S. to work, either temporarily (such as H-1B or L-1) or permanently through an employment-based green card.