Kalsoom Usman

I can remember how perplexed my neighbor looked as the police were knocking on his door. “What evidence do they have?” he kept asking. It is a question that keeps most people awake. This is what most people misunderstand: yes, you can be charged without any evidence. It is ridiculous, and it occurs every day […]

You’re sitting in a cold room. You have a lawyer who leans forward and tells you something that you were not expecting: They are making you an offer. Your mind races. Wait isn’t this what happens on TV? Is this real? Should you take it? Plea bargaining is not a mystery behind the scenes in

You have literally just left the courthouse. Instead of jail time, the judge said probation. Relief washes over you. Then the truth sinks in: what does this mean? I recall the first day when I was explaining to a person who had never been in the court system what probation was. Their hands were shaking.

When a theft charge hits you, it seems that the ground has moved out beneath you. One moment you are moving on with your day, the next moment you are looking at legal documents that might change it all. I understand you are likely racing with thoughts and worst-case scenarios. However, here is the thing:

When someone makes a phone call in jail, it hits different. Your heart drops. Your hands shake a little. You wonder: What happens next? I’ve been there. Perhaps not myself, but I have seen families scramble when there are criminal charges that suddenly appear. The legal system feels like a foreign language. Everybody speaks languages

You know that dropping out feeling when somebody runs a background check? It could be a job that you desire. Or an apartment you had a dream about. You and that ancient goof are always hanging together. I have seen friends stumble with this very issue. The good news? There may be methods to clean