More from this issue:

1. Dangerous Encounters: Interactions Between Autistic Individuals and Law Enforcement, by Casey Bastian
2. Natural Language Processing Software Can Identify Biased Jury Selection, Has Potential to Be Used in Real Time During Voir Dire, by Jo Ellen Nott
3. Louisiana Sheriffs Repeatedly and Conveniently Destroy Public Records, by Benjamin Tschirhart
4. Eleventh Circuit Announces Defendant May Not Be Sentenced to Home Confinement for Violating Terms of Supervised Release When Sentenced to Statutory Maximum Period of Imprisonment for the Violation, by Douglas Ankney
5. CBP Promises Not to Buy Location Data – But Is It a Hollow Promise?, by Michael Thompson
6. Use of Forensic Genetic Genealogy Searches to Identify Suspects Needs Regulation and Can Be Challenged, by Matthew Clarke
7. Chicago Cop Lied So Many Times Under Oath That Prosecutors Are Dismissing Cases That Relied on His Testimony, by Jordan Arizmendi
8. Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Clarifies Application of ‘Estoppel’ in Plea Bargain Context and Holds Trial Court Lacked Jurisdiction to Revoke Community Supervision After Statutory Term Expired, by Richard Resch
9. Report Finds Effective Text Message Reminders Can Reduce Community Supervision Violations, by Jordan Arizmendi
10. Third Circuit: Pennsylvania Conviction for First-Degree Aggravated Assault Does Not Require Physical Force so Is Not Qualifying Predicate for ACCA Purposes, by Douglas Ankney
11. First Circuit: Justification for Upward Sentencing Departure Following Supervised Release Revocation Must Be Ade-quately Explained, by Matthew Clarke
12. Sixth Circuit: District Court Committed Procedural Error by Impermissibly Ceding Its Discretion to Congress to Determine Guidelines’ Crack-to-Powder Ratio at Sentencing, by David Reutter
13. Indiana Supreme Court Reverses Involuntary Manslaughter Conviction Where Trial Court Denied Defense Counsel Opportunity to Directly Voir Dire Prospective Jurors, by Douglas Ankney
14. We the Targeted: How the Government Weaponizes Surveillance to Silence its Critics 2372, by John W. Whitehead, Nisha Whitehead
15. Fourth Circuit: Disparate Sentence of 30 Years for Two § 924(c) Convictions Constitutes ‘Extraordinary and Compelling Reason’ for Early Release and § 3553(a) Sentencing Factors ‘Overwhelmingly’ Favor Sentence Reduction, by Douglas Ankney
16. Massachusetts Supreme Court: Defense Counsel’s Overt Bias Against Own Client Constitutes Actual Conflict of Interest Requiring New Trial Without Need to Prove Prejudice, by Anthony Accurso
17. New Mexico Ends Juvenile Life Without Parole, Retroactively Applies Rule to Previously Convicted Minors, by Anthony Accurso
18. Fourth Circuit Reverses § 924(c) Conviction Because Kidnapping No Longer Qualifies as Predicate Offense and ‘Critical Record Documents’ Do Not Show Firearm Charge Was ‘Expressly Predicated Upon’ Any Other Offense, by Douglas Ankney
19. New York Court Rules Police Allowed to Use Familial DNA Searches, by Jordan Arizmendi
20. Texas Using Highly Sophisticated Israeli Phone Tracking Software, by Jo Ellen Nott
21. ‘Criminal Courteaucracy’: Understanding the Unique Role of Criminal Court Administrators in Implementing Social Con-troll, by David Reutter
22. Fifth Circuit: Fourth Amendment Seizure Occurred When Officer Pulled Behind Parked Vehicle, Activated Emergency Lights, and Simultaneously Ordered Suspect to Remain in Vehicle, by Douglas Ankney
23. The EFF Is Tackling Border Towers, Facilitating Research into Impact of Mass Surveillance, by Anthony Accurso
24. Kentucky Supreme Court Clarifies When Lesser-Included Offense Instruction Must Be Provided, Reverses Convictions Based on Trial Court’s Failure to Properly Instruct Jury, by Matthew Clarke
25. After Mississippi Supreme Court Announcement, Courts Unprepared to Ensure Poor Defendants Have a Lawyer Throughout the Criminal Process, by Jo Ellen Nott
26. Seventh Circuit Announces Procedures for Addressing ‘Facially Questionable Warrant’ Due to ‘Material Handwritten Alterations’ Unsigned or Initialed by Issuing Judge, by Richard Resch
27. California Supreme Court Reinstates Petition for Resentencing Under SB 1437 Because Trial Court Misapprehended Le-gal Requirements for Proving Aiding and Abetting Implied Malice Murder, by Matthew Clarke
28. Maine Supreme Judicial Court Announces Clarification of Test for Violation of Right to Speedy Trial Under Maine Constitu-tion, by David Reutter
29. Sixth Circuit: Because Ohio’s Aggravated Robbery Statute Does Not Contain Mens Rea Requirement, Conviction Is Violent Felony Under ACCA Only if Underlying Theft in Robbery Contains Required Mens Rea, by Douglas Ankney
30. News in Brief

More from Jo Ellen Nott:

• San Francisco Jail Survey Exposes Abuse, Malnutrition and Constitutional Violations, Oct. 1, 2026
• GEO Group Funnels Millions to Trump PAC Following Windfall ICE Contracts, Oct. 1, 2026
• CoreCivic’s Non-Binding Promises Leave Minnesota City Exposed, Oct. 1, 2026
• Fatal LAPD Arrests Show Systemic Failure in Handling Mental Health Crises, Oct. 1, 2026
• Ohio Finds Guards and Medical Staff Failed to Render Life-Saving CPR to Detainee, Sept. 1, 2026
• Troubled Illinois Lockup Sees Guard Abuses, Prisoners on Hunger Strike, Sept. 1, 2026
• $75 Million CoreCivic Contract to Reopen Minnesota Private Prison Creates Resistance from Activists and Lawmakers, Sept. 1, 2026
• Wave of Staff Arrests Exposes Persistent Misconduct at South Carolina Jail, Sept. 1, 2026
• Michigan DOC Legal Payouts Top $7 Million in FY 2025, Less than One Percent of $2.15 Billion Operating Budget, Sept. 1, 2026
• Four Massachusetts Guards Face Charges for Assault on Prisoners During Brawl, Sept. 1, 2026

More from these topics:

• Ninth Circuit Holds Martinez May Excuse Nevada’s Timeliness and Successive-Petition Bars for Trial Ineffective Assistance Claims, Oct. 1, 2026. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Cause and Prejudice, Counsel - Right to, Statutes of Limitation and Laches.
• Idaho Supreme Court Holds Indigent Parents Have Constitutional Right to Counsel at Public Expense, July 1, 2026. Court Access, Appeals/Appellate Jurisdiction, Constitutional Challenges/Law, Counsel - Right to, Civil Rights Actions or Offenses/Bivens Actions.
• Retroactive Guideline Amendments: The Narrow Path to a Federal Sentence Reduction, July 1, 2026. Appointment of Counsel, Career Offenders, Mandatory Minimum Sentence, 18 U.S.C. § 3582(c)(2), Guideline Amendment/Variances and Retroactivity.
• Oregon Supreme Court Announces Bright-Line Rule Requiring Dismissal Without Prejudice When State Fails to Appoint Counsel for Eligible Criminal Defendant Within 60 Days in Misdemeanor Cases or 90 Days in Felony Cases Post-Arraignment, March 1, 2026. Appointment of Counsel, Public Defenders, Indigent Defense, Constitution, state, Counsel - Right to.
• Delaware Supreme Court Announces Trial Courts Must First Resolve Defense Counsel’s Motion to Withdraw Before Addressing Defendant’s Plea-­Withdrawal Request, Holding Failure to Do So Violates Sixth Amendment Right to Counsel, Jan. 1, 2026. Appointment of Counsel, Sixth Amendment, Counsel - Constructive denial of, Self-representation, Withdrawal.
• Rhode Island Supreme Court Announces Indigent First-Time Applicant for Postconviction Relief Entitled to Counsel Even 
When Not Requested; Superior Court Must Determine 
Whether Applicant Intended to Waive Right to Counsel and 
Whether Done Knowingly, Vol, May 15, 2025. Appointment of Counsel, Counsel - Right to, Counsel - Constructive denial of.
• Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Clarifies Trial Court Must Conduct Inquiry Whether Defendant Knowingly and Voluntarily Waived Right to Counsel at ‘Any Stage of a Case,’ Including Arraignment or Plea Hearing, Feb. 1, 2025. Counsel - Right to, Knowingly and Voluntarily Made.
• Colorado Supreme Court Announces When Deciding Defendant’s Pro Se Motion Requesting Counsel on Postconviction Review, Trial Court Must Either Deny Entire Motion or Permit All Claims If Any Have Arguable Merit, Dec. 15, 2024. Appointment of Counsel, After Request for Counsel, Pro Se Issues.
• $25 Million Contempt Fine Prompts Release of Pretrial Detainees from Philadelphia Lockups, Dec. 15, 2024. Appointment of Counsel, Contempt (Civil Procedure), Bail/Pretrial Release, Fines.
• Indigent Defense: Appointed Counsel Does Not Mean Free Counsel, Dec. 1, 2024. Appointment of Counsel, Indigent Defense, Indigent Defendants - Fees and Expenses.