More from this issue:

1. Civil Asset Forfeiture: Unfair, Unjust, Un-American, by Christopher Zoukis
2. News in Brief
3. Driver’s License Required for Conviction as Florida Habitual Traffic Offender, by David Reutter
4. DNA Sketches Answer Prayers, Raise Concerns, by Dale Chappell
5. Research Needed: Do Drug Dogs Respond to Drugs or Handler?, by Christopher Zoukis
6. Questioning the Use of DNA Testing Software in Criminal Prosecution, by Christopher Zoukis
7. Maine Supreme Court: State Must Provide Evidence to Support Probation Revocation, by Dale Chappell
8. Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Right to Appeal Judge’s Questioning Not Forfeited by Failure to Object, by Dale Chappell
9. Washington Court of Appeals Reverses Murder Conviction Due to Prejudicial PowerPoint, by Richard Resch
10. Louisiana Indigent Defendants Face Death Penalty Without Lawyers, by Christopher Zoukis
11. Two-Party Consent Law Forces Dismissal of 61 Cases in Washington Sting
12. Georgia Supreme Court Reverses Mutually Exclusive Guilty Verdicts, by Christopher Zoukis
13. Few Indigent Defendants Have Lawyer at Arraignment, by Mark Wilson
14. Ohio Supreme Court: Courts Can Seal Case Records Prior to Expiration of Statute of Limitations, by Dale Chappell
15. Massachusetts Supreme Court: Sleeping Juror Is “Structural Error,” Requires Intervention, by Dale Chappell
16. CA Court Rejects Inventory Search and Inevitable Discovery Arguments in Warrantless Search Case, by Richard Resch
17. California Court of Appeal: Prior Felony Does Not Convert “Wobbler” Into Felony, by Dale Chappell
18. Idaho Supreme Court: Suspicionless Fishing Expeditions Not Tolerated, by David Reutter
19. Georgia Supreme Court Instructs Federal Courts on Its Habeas Review Process, by Richard Resch
20. Houston Police End Use of Error-Prone Drug Field Tests, by Matthew Clarke
21. After 21-Year Imprisonment, Wrongfully Convicted Nevada Man Pardoned, by Christopher Zoukis
22. First Circuit: Plain Error Standard Met When Trial Court Emphasized Erroneous Jury Instruction, by Dale Chappell
23. New York Court of Appeals: Bail Bondsmen May Not Keep Premium If Defendant Not Released
24. Use of Sentencing Mitigation Videos Grows, by Derek Gilna
25. DNA Evidence: New Jersey Court Vacates Two 1996 Murder Convictions, by Mark Wilson
26. Curb False Confessions: Provide Suspects With Lawyers, by Derek Gilna
27. Fifth Circuit: “Fugitive from Justice” Enhancement Requires Intent to Avoid Prosecution, by Dale Chappell
28. Mississippi Capital Murder Conviction Reversed Due to Prosecutorial Misconduct, by Christopher Zoukis
29. Court of Criminal Appeals of Texas: Holds Trial Objection Enough to Preserve Issue for Appeal, by Dale Chappell
30. $2 Million to Disabled Syracuse Man Tased by Cops, by Dale Chappell
31. Hawaii Supreme Court: Defendants Entitled to Hearing Within 2 Days, by Dale Chappell
32. Seventh Circuit: Capital Case Defendant Denied Pro Se Right Granted Habeas Relief, by Christopher Zoukis
33. Jury Nullification: A Crucial Check on Government Power, by Christopher Zoukis
34. U.S. Murder Clearance Rates Among Lowest in the World, by Matthew Clarke
35. California Legalization of Marijuana Allows Convicted to Petition, by Derek Gilna
36. Second Circuit Vacates 60-Month Sentence in Model Guidelines Sentencing Decision
37. California Court of Appeal: Prejudice “Presumed” Where Jury Discussed Defendant’s Decision Not to Testify, by Dale Chappell
38. Massachusetts Supreme Court: Permanent Ban on Sealing Record of Sex Offender Unconstitutional, by Dale Chappell
39. Rhode Island Supreme Court Rules “Backseat Driver” Is a Real Thing Under Criminal Statutes, by Christopher Zoukis
40. Iowa Supreme Court: Search of Third-Party at Premises Subject to Warrant Violates State Constitution, by Richard Resch
41. Survival Tip: Don’t Call Cops If You’re Disabled, by Dale Chappell
42. San Francisco and San Diego Expunging Marijuana Convictions Under Prop 64
43. Ninth Circuit: Government Cannot Seize Cash Based Solely on Money’s Intended Use, by Christopher Zoukis
44. Unjust Sexual Offense Laws: Insanity and Hope, by Ken Abraham, Brenda Jones
45. Oregon Appeals Court: Defense Counsel Constitutionally Inadequate in Sexual Abuse Case, by Mark Wilson
46. Ninth Circuit Warns Prosecutors Against Interfering With Defendants’ Legal Representation; Reverses First-Degree Murder Convictions, by Richard Resch
47. $5.5 Million Verdict Against LAPD for Taser Death of Former Marine, by Derek Gilna
48. Overworked Missouri Public Defenders Fear Suspensions and Firing, by Mark Wilson
49. Prosecutor’s “Animosity” Toward Defense Leads Oregon Appeals Court to Vacate Convictions, by Mark Wilson
50. $9.5M Settlement Approved by Chicago City Council for Yet Another Excessive Force Case, by Derek Gilna

More from Richard Resch:

• Aphantasia: Why Truthful Witnesses Can Sound Like Liars, Jan. 1, 2026
• Special Digital Currencies Issue: 
Bitcoin and CBDCs What Is Bitcoin? The Answer to Government Surveillance 
and Control Through Money An Essential Introduction, Glossary of Multidisciplinary 
Terminology, and Colorful History, Aug. 15, 2025
• From the Editor, Aug. 15, 2025
• SCOTUS Announces Sentence ‘Has Not Been Imposed’ 
for Purposes of First Step Act Retroactivity Upon Resentencing When § 924(c) Offender Sentenced Prior to Act’s Enactment 
but Sentence Subsequently Vacated, Aug. 1, 2025
• SCOTUS Announces Courts May Not Consider 
§ 3553(a)(2)(A)—Retribution—When Deciding Whether 
to Revoke a Term of Supervised Release, Aug. 1, 2025
• Understanding Your Constitutional Rights in the 
‘100-Mile Border Zone’: A Primer for Non-Citizens in the United States When Confronted by Law Enforcement, July 1, 2025
• South Carolina Supreme Court Announces Traditional 
Four-Element Standard for When Person Has Right 
to Use Deadly Force in Self-Defense Not Applicable 
to Non-Deadly Force Self-Defense Analysis, May 15, 2025
• SCOTUS Announces Only ‘False’ Statements Made to FDIC 
Are Criminalized Under 18 U.S.C. § 1014, Not Statements 
That Are ‘Misleading’ but True, May 15, 2025
• From the Editor Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Holdings and Dicta*, March 15, 2025
• From the Editor, Dec. 15, 2024

More from these topics:

• Arizona’s Secret Mass Surveillance System: An Obscure Financial Database Amasses Millions of Financial Records in the Shadows, July 1, 2025. Searches, Search and Seizure, Warrants, Continuing Financial Crimes Enterprise (CFCE), Domestic Financial Institution.
• Seven TDCJ Prison Guards Arrested 
in Alleged Smuggling Ring, June 1, 2025. Guard Misconduct, Searches, Prison Conditions.
• Seventh Circuit Rejects Retaliation Claim Based on Suspicious Timing Alone, Oct. 4, 2020. Retaliation, Searches, Failure to Protect (General), First Amendment, rights.
• Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: When Exit Order is Unlawful, Evidence Obtained from Subsequent Search Must be Suppressed, Feb. 18, 2020. Searches.
• California Court of Appeal: Electronics Searching Condition Struck in Mandatory Supervision Case, Feb. 18, 2020. Searches.
• First Circuit Vacates Conviction Because Sister had Neither Actual nor Apparent Authority to Consent to Search of Brother’s Bags, Jan. 21, 2020. Searches, Fourth Amendment, rights.
• Idaho Supreme Court: Where Police Were Unaware of Probationer’s Fourth Amendment Waiver Until After Unreasonable Search, Waiver Won’t Make Search Reasonable, Jan. 21, 2020. Searches, Police, Fourth Amendment, rights.
• Georgia Supreme Court: Warrantless Search of Vehicle’s Airbag Control Module is Unconstitutional, Dec. 18, 2019. Misconduct/Corruption, Police Misconduct, Searches, Police Searches.
• California Supreme Court: Where Electronics Search Condition of Probation Is Not Reasonably Related to Future Criminality, Condition Is Invalid, Nov. 18, 2019. Searches.
• Alaska State Supreme Court Rules Due Process Afforded to Prisoners Seeking Laundry Job Reinstatement, Oct. 28, 2019. Searches, Money/Property, Fair Labor Standards Act, 42 U.S. Code § 1983, civil action for deprivation of rights.