More from this issue:

1. Qualified Immunity - A Legal, Practical, and Moral Failure, by Jay Schweikert
2. Ninth Circuit Reverses Dismissal of Suit Challenging Idaho’s Sex Offender Registration Law, by Douglas Ankney
3. Column: Raising Successful Federal Habeas Corpus Claims, by Dale Chappell
4. Tenth Circuit Vacates Enhancement for Prior Crime of Violence Because it Wasn’t Independently Eligible to Receive Criminal History Points, by Anthony Accurso
5. California Court of Appeal: Trial Court Abused Discretion by Denying Romero Motion and Life Sentence for Attempted Robbery Is Cruel and Unusual Under State Constitution, by Douglas Ankney
6. Third Circuit Announces Prohibition Against Second Resentencing Under First Step Act Can Be Waived by Government, by Matthew Clarke
7. Seventh Circuit Joins Other Circuits Holding Any Crack Cocaine Offense Under § 841 Qualifies for First Step Act Relief, by Dale Chappell
8. California Court of Appeal: Counsel Ineffective for Failure to Investigate Mental Health History, by Douglas Ankney
9. Michigan Supreme Court: Police Must Limit Search of Cellphone Data to Uncovering Evidence of the Criminal Activity Alleged in Warrant, by Douglas Ankney
10. Fifth Circuit: No Qualified Immunity When Police Fatally Beat Unresisting Man Suffering Mental Health Crisis, by Matthew Clarke
11. North Carolina Supreme Court: Superior Court Abused Discretion by Flatly Prohibiting Questions on Racial Bias During Voir Dire, by Douglas Ankney
12. Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Witness Testifying Remotely Via Two-Way Video Without Sufficient Reason Violates Confrontation Clause, by Douglas Ankney
13. Fifth Circuit: District Court Cannot Delegate to Probation Officer Authority to Impose Inpatient Treatment, by Douglas Ankney
14. Kansas Supreme Court: Wrong Standard Used in Review of Plea Withdrawal Motion Requires Remand, by David Reutter
15. Indiana Supreme Court: Speedy Trial Right Violated After 6.5 Years Without Retrial, by Anthony Accurso
16. Raid on Data Scientist’s Home Underscores Outdated Technology Laws and Unjustifiable Police Use of Force, by Anthony Accurso
17. Nevada Supreme Court: Defendant Has Right to Withdraw Plea Where He Wasn’t Informed of Range of Possible Punishments, by Douglas Ankney
18. Voters Speak: Dump Tough-On-Crime Prosecutors, Boost Police Oversight, by Dale Chappell
19. Ohio Supreme Court: ‘Avoid Impregnating a Woman’ as Probation Condition for Failing to Pay Child Support Unreasonable, by Dale Chappell
20. Texas Supreme Court Announces Factual-Sufficiency Standard of Review in SVP Determinations, by Douglas Ankney
21. California Court of Appeal: SB 136 Makes Plea Agreement Containing Prior Prison Enhancement Unenforceable, by Douglas Ankney
22. ACLU Spotlights FBI’s Encryption-Breaking Tool in Freedom of Information Suit, by Derek Gilna
23. North Carolina Supreme Court: Testimony That Improperly Bolstered Victim’s Credibility Was Plain Error, by Douglas Ankney
24. Second Circuit Clarifies What Constitutes ‘Possession of a Dangerous Weapon’ and ‘Physical Restraint’ Under the Guidelines, by Dale Chappell
25. Ohio Supreme Court: Jury Must Find Use of Force, Not Sentencing Court, for Mandatory Minimum Sentences, by Anthony Accurso
26. San Francisco Forensic Analyst’s Arrest on Drug Charges Exposes Flawed Lab, by Derek Gilna
27. Montana Supreme Court: Five-Year Delay Violates Speedy Trial and Is Presumptively Prejudicial, by Douglas Ankney
28. SCOTUS: RFRA’s ‘Appropriate Damages’ Includes Monetary Awards, by Douglas Ankney
29. First Circuit Joins Sister Circuits Holding Hobbs Act Robbery Conspiracy not Crime of Violence for 924(c), by Dale Chappell
30. Fatal Shootings by Police Rarely Prosecuted, by Jayson Hawkins
31. Misinformation and the Carceral State, by Jayson Hawkins
32. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Announces Blood Alcohol Test Results From Blood Drawn Under Court Order but Without Consent Is Inadmissible, by Matthew Clarke
33. A 22-Year-Long Path to Justice, by Jayson Hawkins
34. Police Departments Buying Teslas, by Anthony Accurso
35. Mens Rea: Criminal Liability Should Equal Criminal Intent, by Casey Bastian
36. Walter Forbes of Michigan Exonerated After 37 Years in Prison, by Kevin Bliss
37. First Circuit: Rehaif Error Rendered Guilty Plea Invalid, by Dale Chappell
38. The Need for Legislation Governing Police Use of Robots, by Douglas Ankney
39. News in Brief

More from Douglas Ankney:

• The Trial Penalty: How America Abandoned the Right to Trial, Nov. 15, 2025
• Nevada Court of Appeals Revives Detainee’s Failure-­to-­Protect Claim Against CoreCivic, Oct. 1, 2025
• Third Circuit Upholds Award of $265,000 to Prisoner 
Who Was Sexually Assaulted Twice by the Same Guard, Aug. 1, 2025
• Fifth Circuit Announces When Initial § 2255 Petition Not Decided on Merits and Appeals Court Later Recalls Mandate Dismissing Direct Appeal and Affirms Conviction, Subsequent § 2255 Petition Not ‘Second or Successive’ Under AEDPA, Aug. 1, 2025
• $340,000 for Former Massachusetts Prisoner 
Whose Baby Was Stillborn, July 15, 2025
• New Jersey Supreme Court Refuses Guard’s Challenge to Firing 
for Failing to Report Kiss with Prisoner, July 15, 2025
• New York City Loses Bid to Withhold Jail Records, July 15, 2025
• Eleventh Circuit Announces New Deliberate Indifference 
Framework in Dismissing Georgia Prisoner’s Claim 
for Skipped Anti-Seizure Meds, July 15, 2025
• Washington Jail Settles DOJ Allegations of ADA Noncompliance 
in Failure to Treat Opioid Use Disorder, July 15, 2025
• Ohio Supreme Court Says Sheriff Must Get and Disclose 
Records of Private Contractors, July 15, 2025

More from these topics:

• Florida Appeals Court Finds Rationale for “Sexual Predator” Label on Former Prisoner’s Drivers License, Oct. 1, 2025. Sex Offender Registration, Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Sexually Dangerous Persons/Sexual Violent Predators, Prisoners' Rights.
• Nebraska Supreme Court Announces ‘Working Days’ for Purposes of ‘Temporary Domicile’ SORA Reporting Requirement Means Weekdays, Excluding Legal Holidays, and Reverses Conviction for Failure to Register, March 15, 2025. Sex Offender Registration, Wrongful Conviction.
• Washington Prisoner Sues Jail Where Assault Left Him Comatose, DOC Guard Who Then Sexually Abused Him, March 1, 2025. Prisoner-Staff Assault, Guard Misconduct, Jail Misconduct, Sex Offender Registration, Failure to Protect (General).
• Incompetent Louisiana Sex Offender’s Challenge to Registration Requirements Proceeds, Dec. 15, 2024. Sex Offender Registration, Sex Offenders (Discrimination), Sex Offense Registration Act (SORNA).
• Sixth Circuit Strikes Retroactive Application of Parts of Tennessee’s Sweeping Sex Offender Registration, Verification, and Tracking Law, Oct. 1, 2024. Sex Offender Registration, Retroactivity.
• Minnesota Sex Offender Program: The Indefinite Detention of the Reviled, Aug. 1, 2024. Sex Offender Registration, Civil Commitment, Sex Offender Classification.
• Oregon Parole Board Ordered to Consider Sex-Offense-Free Time When Setting Sex Offender Notification Levels, July 1, 2024. Sex Offender Registration, Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Sex Offender Classification.
• New York Court of Appeals: SORA Designation Violates Defendant’s Due Process Rights Where Crime Involved No Sexual Contact or Motivation and Defendant Was Not a Sex Offender and Posed No Risk of Sexual Threat, May 15, 2024. Sex Offender Registration.
• Eighth Circuit Announces ‘Categorical Approach’ Applies to SORNA Tier Analysis, April 15, 2024. Sex Offender Registration, U.S. Sentencing Guidelines, Sex Offender Registration and Notification Act, Military.
• People Convicted of Sex Crimes Remain Incarcerated 25 Years After Completing Their Prison Sentences, Jan. 15, 2023. Sex Offender Registration, Sex Offenders (Discrimination), U.S. Sentencing Guidelines.