More from this issue:

1. Massachusetts State Police Facing Possible Class Action Lawsuit for Illegal Recordings
2. Electronic Monitoring: An Alternative to Incarceration or a Troubling Extension of Punishment?, by David Reutter
3. Cellebrite Asks Law Enforcement Clients to Keep Its Phone Hacking Tech Secret, by Jo Ellen Nott
4. California Court of Appeal: Traffic Stop Prolonged for Drug Dog Sniff Search Unrelated to ‘Mission’ of Stop Violates Fourth Amendment, by Anthony Accurso
5. Maine Supreme Court: Defense Counsel Ineffective for Opening Door to Otherwise Inadmissible Evidence of Bad Character, by Matthew Clarke
6. Eighth Circuit Announces ‘Categorical Approach’ Applies to SORNA Tier Analysis, by Douglas Ankney
7. Pharmacies Are Giving Your Prescription Data to Police Without a Warrant, by Anthony Accurso
8. What Happens When Prosecutors Offer Opposing Versions of the Truth?, by Ken Armstrong
9. New York Court of Appeals Declines to Adopt Per Se Rule That Handcuffed Person Is Always ‘In Custody’ for Miranda Purposes, but Holds the Handcuffed Defendant Was ‘In Custody’ and Suppress Incriminating Statements, by Douglas Ankney
10. Research Shows It Makes Sense to Hire Individuals with Criminal Records, by Jo Ellen Nott
11. Fifth Circuit: Admission of DHS Investigation Form G-166F at Trial Where Preparer of Form Did Not Testify Violates Confrontation Clause and Rule Against Hearsay, by Douglas Ankney
12. AI Disrupts Established Forensic Fingerprint Analysis—Not Every Fingerprint Is Unique, by Jo Ellen Nott
13. Does the Fourth Amendment Protect Cellphones at the Border?, by Douglas Ankney
14. New York Governor Signs Law Sealing Millions of Criminal Records From Public View, by Douglas Ankney
15. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Announces Constructive Denial of Right to Counsel Where Defense Counsel Sleeps for Significant Portion or During Important Aspect of Trial, by David Reutter
16. California Attorney General Issues Memo Prohibiting Out-of-State Sharing of ALPR Data, by Anthony Accurso
17. Utah Supreme Court Announces Communication of Cellphone Passcode Protected by Fifth Amendment and Rules Advising Jury of Defendant’s Refusal to Disclose Passcode Violates Privilege Against Compelled Self-Incrimination, by Anthony Accurso
18. Tracking Your Cellphone Might Be Easier Than You Think, by Michael Thompson
19. Vermont Supreme Court Announces Prejudice Determination for IAC Claim Based on Rejected Plea Offer Limited to Evidence Available at Time Plea Considered—Not Any Subsequent Evidence, by David Reutter
20. Time Served Under the First Step Act: Reduction, Not Revolution, by Jo Ellen Nott
21. One Year of New Orleans Police Department Facial Recognition Data, by Michael Thompson
22. Police Bodycams: If You Film It …, by Michael Thompson
23. The FBI’s Rapidly Expanding DNA Database, by Anthony Accurso
24. Federal Habeas Corpus: Understanding Second or Successive Petitions for State Prisoners, by Dale Chappell
25. ‘Trail ’Em, Nail ’Em, and Jail ’Em’: Issues Private Probation and Parole, by Jo Ellen Nott
26. New York Court of Appeals: Admission of Prior Bad Acts Evidence to Prove Propensity to Commit Crime Harmful Error, by David Reutter
27. FBI’s Bias for Keywords, by Carlo Difundo
28. Potential Dangers of Medical Monitors, by Michael Thompson
29. Crime Scene Context: Bridging the Gap Between Evidence and Reconstruction, by Jo Ellen Nott
30. Taxpayers Foot the Bill for Police Training on How to Violate Constitutional Rights, by Anthony Accurso
31. News in Brief
32. ‘Blatant Miscarriage of Justice’: Oklahoma Man Exonerated of Wrongful Conviction After 35 Years Despite Former Prosecutor’s Attempt to Perpetuate Injustice, by Douglas Ankney

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:

• ICE Stops Reporting Deaths of Recently Released Detainees, July 1, 2026. Misconduct/Corruption, Medical, Conditions of Confinement, Immigration Law/Offenses, Civil Rights Actions or Offenses/Bivens Actions.
• Ninth Circuit Holds Untruthful Responses to Questions Government Is Not Permitted to Ask on Visa Application Is Still Fraud if Responses Could Have Influenced Decision to Grant Request for Visa, Oct. 15, 2025. False Statements/Perjury, Essential Elements of Crime, Fraud and Deceit, Immigration Law/Offenses, Authority and Jurisdiction.
• Maine Supreme Judicial Court Vacates Conviction Based on Confrontation Clause Where Toxicologist Testified About Toxicology Tests Performed by Others, Which SCOTUS Rejected in Smith v. Arizona, Oct. 15, 2025. Forensic Sciences, Testimonial Statements, Crime Lab Reports, Hearsay Evidence, Expert and Opinion Testimony.
• Former Maine Prison Guard Arrested 
and Detained by ICE Agents, Aug. 1, 2025. Guard Misconduct, Guards/Staff, Immigration Law/Offenses.
• 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. Immigration, Fifth Amendment, Searches - Border Stops/Searches, Level of Suspicion, Routine vs. Non-Routine Border Searches, Immigration Law/Offenses, Fourth Amendment.
• Facial Recognition at the Border: CBP’s Push to Scan Every Car Passenger Sparks Privacy Concerns, May 15, 2025. Police State-Surveillance, Electronic Surveillance, Privacy Act/Rights, Searches - Border Stops/Searches, Immigration Law/Offenses.
• ICE’s Expansive Surveillance Tool Monitors Hundreds of Websites and Apps, April 15, 2025. Police State-Surveillance, Enforcement of Immigration Laws, Electronic Surveillance, Immigration Law/Offenses, Social Media.
• Federal Government Circumventing Fourth Amendment by Buying Data From Data Brokers, April 15, 2025. Databases, Searches - Cellphones/Computers/Internet, Immigration Law/Offenses, Fourth Amendment.
• $42 Million Jury Award for Detainees Tortured by U.S. Military at Abu Ghraib Prison, April 1, 2025. Settlements, Torture Victims Act, Pretrial Detention and Detainees, Immigration Law/Offenses.
• CoreCivic Will Cage Migrant Families in Texas Lockup, April 1, 2025. Corrections Corporation of America/CoreCivic, Enforcement of Immigration Laws, Immigration Law/Offenses.