Hoover Area General Law Blog

The rise in the use of facial recognition technology and the lack of standards or regulation around its use means that people in Alabama and throughout the country who have been convicted of crimes could be tracked in certain public places. Even people who are merely suspected of shoplifting without being charged could be barred from stores that chose to do so. The ban could extend far beyond the initial store and could include all the stores in the network.

One of the major issues with facial recognition technology is that there is not a single standard of accuracy. Therefore, while it might be expected that law enforcement would use more accurate technology than what is in casual commercial use, this is not necessarily the case.

Young people in Alabama and around the country have a much greater risk of being arrested than do older adults, according to a study. People who are younger than age 26 are much likelier to be arrested, and the rates of arrest for women and Caucasian people are increasing the fastest.

Researchers with the RAND Corporation conducted the study. The researchers found that people who were between the ages of 26 and 35 were 3.6 times likelier to have been arrested than people who were over the age of 66.

Jurors in Alabama and other states are supposed to listen only to the facts of a case and follow relevant law when determining a verdict. However, a ruling in Massachusetts says that jurors are allowed to use their life experience when hearing evidence or deliberating in the jury room. As long as a juror can remain unbiased, he or she is generally qualified to serve regardless of their opinions on a given matter.

The ruling came in a case involving a black man who was convicted on a drug possession charge. A prospective juror said she believed that the system was rigged against young black men. She was disqualified for making such a statement. However, it was later acknowledged by the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court that it would be impractical to not draw on life experience when hearing a case.

Alabama couples who are going through divorce should beware of potentially costly errors. For example, one man who said he could not afford a certain settlement later made financial boasts on social media that hurt his case. Another common error is not getting the financial paperwork necessary when it is available. Information such as how much was paid for the home and account numbers may be useful years after the divorce as well as during it.

Understanding how tax laws may affect divorce negotiations is also important. For example, because withdrawals from a Roth IRA are not taxed on retirement, this type of account is worth more than a traditional IRA. Taxes on spousal support have also changed since starting in agreements made in 2019, it is not longer deductible by the payer or treated as income to the recipient.