Criminal law and religion are inexorably intertwined and intersect within a multitude of dimensions. Beginning from humankind’s earliest criminal justice system, religion has influenced criminal law; affecting issues ranging from speech-related crimes and notions of forgiveness to the use of torture and capital punishment. Despite the evident interaction between criminal law and religion, there remains no major online publication dedicated to expanding understandings and explorations of these issues. Canopy Forum’s new series Conviction aims to fill this gap by sharing scholarship on these topics ranging from news and recent events to perspectives on important and relevant issues, within the intersection of criminal law and religion. Led by Matthew P. Cavedon, a criminal defense attorney with an MTS degree from Emory University, this series aims to present the intersection of criminal law and religion in an accessible and informative way.
Matthew P. Cavedon is a criminal defense attorney in Gainesville, GA. He graduated from Emory University in 2015 with a law degree and masters of theological studies.
Latest Articles
- “The End of Conviction and Possible Beginnings for Criminal Law and Religion” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“The End of Conviction and Possible Beginnings for Criminal Law and Religion” Matthew P. Cavedon Conviction began just about a… - “The Right to Shun: Ghent’s Misguided Jehovah’s Witness Decision” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“The Right to Shun: Ghent’s Misguided Jehovah’s Witness Decision“ Matthew P. Cavedon In March, the criminal court of Ghent, Belgium… - “France’s New Marriage Laws Could Trigger Islamophobic Abuses” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“France’s New Marriage Laws Could Trigger Islamophobic Abuses“ Matthew P. Cavedon France is enacting sweeping legislation targeting Islamist extremism. Its… - “Denmark’s Provincial Bias against Foreign Religious Languages” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Denmark’s Provincial Bias against Foreign Religious Languages“ Matthew P. Cavedon Denmark has proposed a new law regulating religion. Under it,… - ““A Noble Alchemy”: Benefit of Clergy and the Early History of Leniency” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“‘A Noble Alchemy’: Benefit of Clergy and the Early History of Leniency” Matthew P. Cavedon Criminal justice reform efforts have… - “Perfectionist Prophecy, Imperfect World” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Perfectionist Prophecy, Imperfect World” Matthew P. Cavedon I recently wrote about Patrick O’Neill, a Catholic activist convicted of vandalizing a… - “Vatican Criminal Reforms Ignore Glaring Problems Even as Jurisdiction Expands Worldwide” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Vatican Criminal Reforms Ignore Glaring Problems Even as Jurisdiction Expands Worldwide” Matthew P. Cavedon On February 16, Pope Francis announced… - “Which King’s Bay? Religion against the Rules in Nuclear Civil Disobedience” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Which King’s Bay? Religion against the Rules in Nuclear Civil Disobedience” Matthew P. Cavedon It is commonplace to understand religion… - “Subjective Beliefs, Social Judgments, and Witch Killers” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Subjective Beliefs, Social Judgments, and Witch Killers” Matthew P. Cavedon In a 1992 abortion decision, Casey v. Planned Parenthood, a… - “Opening the Doors to Perception” By Matthew P. Cavedon
“Opening the Doors to Perception” Matthew P. Cavedon This past Election Day saw a shift in the treatment of psychedelics,… - “If God is a God of Redemption, Should Government Get in the Way?” by Teri Thompson
“If God is a God of Redemption, Should Government Get in the Way?” Teri Thompson If the greatest sinner on… - “Practicing (and) Catholic” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Practicing (and) Catholic” Matthew P. Cavedon Sai Santosh Kumar Kolluru recently reflected for Canopy Forum on how Hindu beliefs and… - “Free Speakers, Restrained Hearers: Blasphemy’s Legal Evolution” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Free Speakers, Restrained Hearers: Blasphemy’s Legal Evolution“ Matthew P. Cavedon The most infamous terror trial in modern France began in… - “Reconciling Retribution and Rehabilitation” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Reconciling Retribution and Rehabilitation” Matthew P. Cavedon Ten-year-old Shane Paul O’Doherty pledged to “fight and if necessary die for Ireland’s… - “Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Overly Broad Take on Judges and the Death Penalty” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s Overly Broad Take on Judges and the Death Penalty” Matthew P. Cavedon Twenty-two years before she… - “Don’t Write off Sharia’s Forgiveness Option Just Because of the Khashoggi Case” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Don’t Write off Sharia’s Forgiveness Option Just Because of the Khashoggi Case” Matthew P. Cavedon Jamal Khashoggi was a prominent… - “So Help Him God?: The Case of the Prayerful Juror” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“So Help Him God?:The Case of the Prayerful Juror” Matthew P. Cavedon Mother Teresa said that “listening is the beginning… - “Two Tracks for Twelve Steps: Rehabilitation and Religious Liberty in Criminal Sentencing” by Matthew P. Cavedon
Two Tracks for Twelve Steps: Rehabilitation and Religious Liberty in Criminal Sentencing Matthew P. Cavedon Right before Christmas 2019, a… - “Last Rights? Death Chamber Chaplains and the Law” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Last Rights? Death Chamber Chaplains and the Law” Matthew P. Cavedon On December 22, 1849, twenty Russian dissidents stood on… - “Have We Gone Too Far By Tearing Down Religious Monuments?” by Adrienne Phillips
“Have We Gone Too Far By Tearing Down Religious Monuments?” Adrienne Phillips Religious statues and monuments are prominent cultural, historical,… - “Judge Not: The Problem with Georgia’s Charge about Religious Objection to Jury Service” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Judge Not: The Problem with Georgia’s Charge about Religious Objection to Jury Service” Matthew P. Cavedon At the start of… - “God in the Attorney-Client Relationship” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“God in the Attorney-Client Relationship” Matthew P. Cavedon I was taught early on that a criminal defense attorney has to… - “Russian Authorities Sentence Jehovah’s Witness” by Adrienne Phillips
“Russian Authorities Sentence Jehovah’s Witness” Adrienne Phillips The Russian Constitution of 1993 states that, “Everyone shall be guaranteed the freedom… - “Sudan Criminalizes FGM” by Adrienne Phillips
“Sudan Criminalizes FGM” Adrienne Phillips Sudan recently criminalized female genital mutilation (FGM). According to the United Nations, about 87 percent… - “I Swear to God: Oaths, Accommodations, and the Binding of Conscience” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“I Swear to God: Oaths, Accommodations, and the Binding of Conscience” Matthew P. Cavedon Watch any courtroom drama and you… - “Mass Gatherings – COVID-19 Quarantines, Religious Rights, and Criminal Law” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Mass Gatherings – COVID-19 Quarantines, Religious Rights, and Criminal Law” Matthew P. Cavedon COVID-19 has become the sort of generational… - “Conviction: A Series on Criminal Law and Religion” by Matthew P. Cavedon
“Conviction: A Series on Criminal Law and Religion” Matthew P. Cavedon “conviction (n) 1: the act or process of finding a…