More from this issue:

1. Forensic Science: Reliable and Valid?, by Jayson Hawkins
2. ‘Changes Are a Comin’, by Anthony Accurso
3. Kansas Supreme Court: Expired License Plate Doesn’t Attenuate Evidence from Illegal Seizure, by Douglas Ankney
4. Defendant’s Flight From Police’s Illegal Frisk Doesn’t Render Improperly Obtained Evidence Admissible in Maryland, by Anthony Accurso
5. Costly Electronic Monitoring Programs Replacing Ineffective Jail Bond Systems, by Kevin Bliss
6. Ninth Circuit Clarifies When Warrantless Searches of Cellphones at Border Are Reasonable, by Douglas Ankney
7. Faulty Science Still Admissible Evidence in Many States, by Kevin Bliss
8. Big Brother, Big Business, Big Law Enforcement, by Edward Lyon
9. Third Circuit Announces New Rule for Amending § 2255 Motions on Appeal, by Dale Chappell
10. Alabama OKs Chemical Castration for Some Sex Offenders, by Dale Chappell
11. California Court of Appeal Announces Defendant Convicted of Felony Accessory Is Eligible for Resentencing Under Proposition 64, by Douglas Ankney
12. Connecticut Supreme Court: When Expert’s Testimony Asserts Truth of DNA Profile Prepared by a Different Non-Testifying Expert, Confrontation Clause Is Violated, by Douglas Ankney
13. Ex-Felons’ Rights Expanding to Include Jury Duty, by Edward Lyon
14. Hundreds of Missouri Prisoners May Be Released Under New Sentencing Reform Law, by Dale Chappell
15. U.S. District Court Grants Savings Clause Petition, Vacates Mandatory Life Sentence, by Dale Chappell
16. Tenth Circuit: District Court Abused Discretion in Denying § 2255 Petition Without Hearing Where Record Didn’t Conclusively Show Defendant Not Entitled to Relief, by Douglas Ankney
17. Ninth Circuit: Drug Quantity in PSR Adopted by Sentencing Court not Binding in § 3582(c)(2) Sentence Reduction Proceedings, by Michael Berk
18. 10th Circuit: District Court Must Ensure When Defendant Waives Right to Counsel He Understands He’s Required to Adhere to Federal Procedural and Evidentiary Rules, by Douglas Ankney
19. Is Data Mining an Invasion of Privacy?, by Kevin Bliss
20. Ninth Circuit Rules IAC for Failure to Investigate Mitigating Evidence During Penalty Phase of Capital Trial, by Anthony Accurso
21. Fifth Circuit Vacates § 924 Convictions Based on Davis, by Anthony Accurso
22. Safe Interactions Between Police and Citizens, by Edward Lyon
23. Fifth Circuit Reiterates Diligence Under AEDPA Requires Consideration of Actions Both Before and After Filing of Habeas Petition, by Dale Chappell
24. 9th Circuit Says Inadvertently Placing Closed Folding Knife on Teller Counter Not Armed Bank Robbery, by Anthony Accurso
25. Oregon Supreme Court Reaffirms ‘Independent Evidence Rule’ for Accomplice Testimony, by Mark Wilson
26. Groundbreaking Connecticut Law Tracks Information on Jailhouse Snitches
27. Fifth Circuit: First Step Act Doesn’t Permit Plenary Resentencing in Retroactive Application of the Fair Sentencing Act, by Douglas Ankney
28. California Court of Appeal Explains Procedures to Determine Appropriate Relief When Conviction Is Vacated Based on People v. Chiu and Senate Bill 1437, by Douglas Ankney
29. Connecticut Supreme Court Rules 5 Days Past Due on Rent While Incarcerated Does Not Deprive Defendant of Expectation of Privacy in Home, by Anthony Accurso
30. New Hampshire Ends Death Penalty, by Jayson Hawkins
31. Fourth Circuit Grants Habeas Relief to Pre-Trial State Prisoner on Double Jeopardy Grounds, by Dale Chappell
32. Tennessee Supreme Court Abandons Doctrine of Abatement Ab Initio, by David Reutter
33. New Jersey Supreme Court Announces New Test to Determine When State May Obtain Second DNA Sample After Unlawfully Obtained First Sample, by Douglas Ankney
34. Fourth Circuit Reviews for Plain Error and Vacates Brandishing a Firearm Conviction Obtained Under 18 U.S.C. § 924(C)(3), by Douglas Ankney
35. Fifth Circuit: Practices of Orleans Parish Judges in Collecting Fines and Fees Violates Due Process, by Douglas Ankney
36. Tens of Thousands of Sentencing Decisions Are Hidden Within PACER, Hindering Access by Lawyers and Defendants, by Dale Chappell
37. Pennsylvania Supreme Court: Probationer Must Violate Specific Condition of Probation or Commit New Crime to Be Found in Violation, by Douglas Ankney
38. Seventh Circuit Reverses Convictions Under 18 U.S.C. § 924(c); Holds Underlying Offenses Do Not Qualify as ‘Crimes of Violence’, by Matthew Clarke
39. Businesses Are Focusing More and More on Aiding Offenders Reentering Society, by Kevin Bliss
40. Qualified Immunity: Explained, by Amir H. Ali, Emily Clark
41. The Mass Incarceration Epidemic Viewed Through a Young Daughter’s Eyes, by Hayley Schulman
42. Prosecutors Working to Clear Wrongful Convictions With Mixed Results, by Bill Barton

More from Douglas Ankney:

• The Dramatic Increase in the Elderly Prison Population Is Fiscally and Morally Irresponsible, Oct. 1, 2026
• Second Circuit Affirms Denial of Qualified Immunity but Clarifies that 14th Amendment ‘Objective Reasonableness’ Is Standard of Review for Pretrial Detainee’s Claim of Sexual Abuse, Oct. 1, 2026
• California Supreme Court Announces Totality-of-Circumstances Framework Focused on Defendant’s Subjective Understanding Under § 1473.7(a)(1), Holding Immigration Consequences Advisement Is Relevant but Not Dispositive, Oct. 1, 2026
• Idaho Supreme Court Holds Conflicting Affidavits About Plea Acceptance Require Evidentiary Hearing on Ineffective-Assistance Claim, Oct. 1, 2026
• Tenth Circuit Vacates Award of Costs to Prison Officials, Revives Prisoner’s Claim Alleging Denial of Access to Functioning Toilets and Exposure to Other Prisoners’ Feces, Oct. 1, 2026
• Second Circuit Vacates Above-Guidelines Firearm-Trafficking Sentence Based on Failure to Assist Law Enforcement and Unexplained Reliance on Factors Already Included in Guidelines Range, Sept. 1, 2026
• Ninth Circuit Reverses Convictions, Holding Requirement That Defendant Testify Before Displaying Hand Tattoos Violates Fifth Amendment, Sept. 1, 2026
• Ohio Supreme Court Announces Postconviction DNA-Testing Orders Need Only Identify Statutory Reason to Satisfy R.C. 2953.73(D) “Reasons” Requirement, Sept. 1, 2026
• Federal Court Upholds Consultants’ Finding that Oklahoma Is Not Honoring Its Consent Decree to Provide Mental Health Treatment, Sept. 1, 2026
• Idaho Legislature Moves to Hide Execution Protocol from Judicial Scrutiny, Sept. 1, 2026

More from these topics:

• California Court of Appeal Announces Defendants May Obtain Brady Evidence From Police Officers’ Personnel Files in Advance of § 1172.6 Hearing Requesting Vacatur of Conviction and Resentencing for Certain Types of Murder Convictions, Feb. 15, 2025. Disclosure of Records, Police, Brady Violations, Murder/Felony Murder, Resentencing, Prior Conviction/Sentence/Incarceration, Evidence - Admissibility.
• Chicago’s Police Body Cam Transparency, Feb. 1, 2025. Videotaping, Police, Police State-Surveillance.
• Study Finds That Black Americans Want Both Police Presence and Reform: Looking Beyond the Headlines, Oct. 1, 2024. Criminal justice system reform, Police, Racial Profiling.
• Colorado Law Enforcement Agencies Will Soon Send Drones Instead of Cops in Response to 911 Calls, Sept. 1, 2024. Police, Advanced Imaging Technology.
• Don’t Stand Too Close to First Responders Under New Florida Law, Aug. 1, 2024. Police, Safety Threat to Police.
• Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Police Training on How to Violate Constitutional Rights, April 15, 2024. Contractor Misconduct, Police Misconduct, Police, Terry Stops, Suspicionless Searches.
• Improvements to Decertification Procedure for Law Enforcement Officers Guilty of Excessive Force Urgently Needed, March 15, 2024. Police Misconduct, Commentary/Reviews, Police, Excessive Force (Police).
• The Almost Unknown Turkey Bowl and Black Sheep, Oct. 15, 2023. Exercise, Police.
• New Robotic Cops Patrolling in NYC, Sept. 1, 2023. Police, Electronic Surveillance.
• From the Sad but True Files: Police Oppose Laws Prohibiting Cops From Lying to Juveniles During Interrogations, Sept. 1, 2023. Police, False Statements/Perjury, Police Interrogations, Juvenile Offenses/Offenders.