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Government Keyword Searches Revealed
by Jayson Hawkins
Orwell’s warning that “Big Brother is watching” has hung over western society for decades, sometimes confirmed by revelations of unauthorized government wiretaps, sometimes rendered ridiculous by the paranoid rantings of conspiracy theorists. In the post-9/11, cyberspace driven, the Patriot Act world of Edward Snowden and …
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More from this issue:
- A Closer Look at Sex Offender Registries, by Casey Bastian
- Eighth Circuit Reiterates Statute of Conviction Determines Eligibility for Sentence Reduction Under First Step Act, Not Actual Conduct, by Dale Chappell
- Why Punishing Bad Prosecutors Won’t Fix a Bad System, by James Doyle
- California Supreme Court Announces Standard of Review and Required Showing for Prejudicial Error Under § 1473.7 to Vacate Plea Due to Lack of Understanding of Immigration Consequences, by David Reutter
- Idaho Supreme Court Announces Whether a Container Is Located Inside or Outside Vehicle When Probable Cause Arises Determines if Container May Be Searched Under Automobile Exception, Joining Conclusion of Several Other States, by Anthony Accurso
- Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Police Deception That Statements Wouldn’t Be Used Against Defendant Requires Suppression, by Anthony Accurso
- Sixth Circuit Vacates Sentence for Impermissible Triple-Counting of Guidelines Enhancements for Ungrouped Offenses, by Dale Chappell
- SCOTUS Reverses Tenth Circuit’s Denial of Qualified Immunity for Fatal Police Shooting, by Douglas Ankney
- California Court of Appeal: Trial Court Required to Provide Notice and Consider Information Provided by Parties Before Ruling on CDCR Recommendation to Recall Sentence Pursuant to § 1170(d)(1), by Douglas Ankney
- New Jersey Directive Provides Relief for Certain Drug Offenders, by Casey Bastian
- Seventh Circuit Announces Standard of Review for Bond Revocation of Defendant on Pretrial Release, by Douglas Ankney
- Kansas Supreme Court: Counsel Ineffective for Failing to Request ‘Voluntary Act’ Jury Instruction in Trial for Rape of Child Younger Than 14 Where Defendant Argued She Was Forcibly Raped by Purported ‘Victim’, by Douglas Ankney
- Sixth Circuit Announces District Court Has Power to Waive Interest on Restitution Post-Sentencing, Resulting in Circuit Split, by Dale Chappell
- Third Circuit Rules Pennsylvania Courts’ Application of Federal Law Objectively Unreasonable, Overturns Conviction and Death Sentence, Grants Habeas Relief, by Dale Chappell
- Idaho Supreme Court Declares Clarke Merely Memorialized Constitutional Principle That Warrantless Arrest for Misdemeanor Completed Outside Officer’s Presence Violates State Constitution and Applies to Cases Prior to Clarke, by Douglas Ankney
- Second Circuit Announces Defendant Need Only Produce ‘Some Credible’ Evidence for Jury Instruction on Entrapment Defense, Clarifying It’s a Burden of Production, Not Persuasion, by Douglas Ankney
- Snitch Visas: A Pipe Dream, by David Reutter
- New Digital Warrants Undermine Fourth Amendment, by Anthony Accurso
- California Court of Appeal Announces Trial Courts Have Authority to Deny Request for Continuance of Motion to Suppress for Failure to Show ‘Good Cause’ Even if it Results in Dismissal, Rejecting Ferrer, by Douglas Ankney
- FBI Gives Green Light for Use of Rapid DNA Solution in Booking Stations, by Douglas Ankney
- Tenth Circuit Rules Impounding Car Following Arrest on Outstanding Warrant Was Pretextual, Suppresses Evidence Discovered, Reverses Convictions, by Anthony Accurso
- Pennsylvania Supreme Court Announces Driver Who Leaves Scene of Accident Subject to Only One Hit-and-Run Violation, Regardless of How Many Victims, by Douglas Ankney
- Pushback on Police Lying to Obtain False Confessions, by Jayson Hawkins
- Civil Forfeiture Under Fire in Massachusetts, by Jayson Hawkins
- Why Won’t the State of Missouri Release Innocent Men From Prison?, by Casey Bastian
- ShotSpotter Acoustic Detection System Another Example of a Forensic Tool Shrouded in Secrecy and Prone to Questionable Results, by Casey Bastian
- Oregon Bill Makes it More Difficult to Hide Police Misconduct, by Jacob Barrett
- New Study Reveals Digital Forensic Examiners Inclined to Biasability, by Casey Bastian
- Some Cities Taking Holistic Approach to Public Safety, by Casey Bastian
- Criminal Justice Legislation Signed by North Carolina Governor, by Ashleigh Dye
- Government Keyword Searches Revealed, by Jayson Hawkins
- Who You Gonna Call When You Don’t Want the Cops? There’s a Website for That, by Casey Bastian
- D.C. Circuit: Government Breached Plea Agreement by Violating Ambiguous Terms, Ambiguities Resolved in Favor of Defendants, Sentence Vacated, by David Reutter
- Eleventh Circuit: Georgia Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon Only Requires Mens Rea of Recklessness Thus Not a ‘Violent Felony’ Under ACCA, by Dale Chappell
- Minnesota Police Hand Out ‘Not-Reaching’ Pouches to Reduce Police Shoot-ings of Motorists, by Dale Chappell
- News in Brief
More from Jayson Hawkins:
- Bad Lawyering, Bankruptcy Torpedo Suit Over Delaware Prisoner’s Death, July 15, 2023
- Senators Rail at DOJ Failure to Report In-Custody Deaths, June 15, 2023
- Financial Pressure Finally Brings Police Reform, June 15, 2023
- “Slap On the Wrist” for California Bail Agents Who Hired Bounty Hunter Who Killed Their Client, May 1, 2023
- MTV Documentary Shines Light on Art Behind Bars, May 1, 2023
- Arizona Prisoner Condemned Again for Cellmate’s Murder, May 1, 2023
- U.S. Response to Haitian Crisis: Fund More Prisons, April 1, 2023
- Former State Prison Guards in Georgia Sentenced for Prisoner Assaults and Cover-Up, April 1, 2023
- After Years of Hard Work and Dedication, Adnan Syed Is Freed by Serendipity, March 15, 2023
- Time to Find the Key, March 15, 2023
More from these topics:
- Seventh Circuit Announces Courts May Examine Individual Officer’s Subjective Purpose When Assessing Whether Warrantless Administrative Inspection Was Pretextual, Holding Suppression Required Where Trooper’s Sole Motive for Stop Was Criminal Investigati, Aug. 1, 2026. Warrantless Searches, Exception to Warrant Requirement, Pretextual Stops, Searches - Administrative, Suppression.
- New Mexico Supreme Court Announces Article II, Section 10 Exclusionary Rule Governs Admissibility of Evidence Seized Outside State by Non-New Mexico Officers, Aug. 1, 2026. Warrantless Searches, Conflict of Laws/Decisions, State Constitutional Claims, Suppression, Exclusionary Rule.
- California Court of Appeal: Vehicle Impoundment Solely to Prevent Further Unlicensed Driving Does Not Satisfy Fourth Amendment’s Community Caretaking Exception; Statutory Authorization Alone Insufficient to Establish Constitutional Reasonableness, June 1, 2026. Warrantless Searches, Motions To Suppress, Searches - Inventory, Community Caretaking Exception/Doctrine, Seizure.
- The Constitution for Sale: FBI Confirms Resumption of Data Broker Dragnets, June 1, 2026. Fourth Amendment, rights, Warrantless Searches, Cell-Phone Location/Tracking Data, Electronic Surveillance, Privacy Act/Rights.
- Fourth Circuit Announces Defendant Has Standing to Appeal Based Solely on Rogers–Singletary Claim of a “Material Discrepancy Between” Written and Orally Articulated Judgment at Sentencing, May 1, 2026. Failure to Object, Appealable Issues/Orders, Warrantless Searches, Reasonable Suspicion, Special Conditions.
- Oregon Supreme Court Announces Article I, Section 9, of State Constitution Protects Privacy in Internet Browsing Conducted Over Public Wi-Fi Networks, April 1, 2026. Searches - Cellphones/Computers/Internet, Warrantless Searches, Electronic Surveillance, State Constitutional Claims, Suppression.
- Fifth Circuit Announces Long Vehicle Protective-Search Exception Requires Contemporaneous Facts Demonstrating Third Party’s Potential Dangerousness Before Warrantless Vehicle Search Is Permissible, March 1, 2026. Warrantless Searches, Exception to Warrant Requirement, Motions To Suppress, Searches - Automobile, Reasonable Suspicion.
- New York Court of Appeals Announces Coercive Police Tactics Compelling Suspect to Exit Home Constitute “Constructive Entry” Violating Payton, Holds Attenuation Analysis Applies to Third-Party Consent, March 1, 2026. Warrantless Searches, Consent Searches, State Constitutional Claims, Fruit of the Poisonous Tree, Unlawful Entry/Conduct.
- Most U.S. Prisoners Now Barred from Directly Receiving Physical Mail, Feb. 1, 2026. Mail Regulations, Due Process, Legal Mail, Censorship, Warrantless Searches, Electronic Surveillance.
- SCOTUS Clarifies Emergency-Aid Home Entries Require Only an “Objectively Reasonable Basis for Believing” an Occupant Faces Serious Danger, Rejecting a Probable-Cause Standard and Montana’s Terry-Like Caretaker Test, Feb. 1, 2026. Fourth Amendment, rights, Probable Cause, Exigent Circumstances, Warrantless Searches, Motions To Suppress.





