More from this issue:

1. The Rise of Mass Supervision: From Rehabilitative Alternative to Shadow Carceral State, by Casey Bastian
2. California Court of Appeal Announces Crime Defendant ‘Was Convicted’ of, Not Crime ‘Could Have Been Convicted’ of Today, Governs Eligibility for Removal From Sex Offender Registry, by Douglas Ankney
3. Ohio Supreme Court Announces Self-Defense Jury Instruction Does Not Require Intent to Harm or Kill Assailant, by David Reutter
4. Georgia Supreme Court Grants Habeas Where Defense Counsel Failed to Understand State Self-Defense Statute Provides Complete Defense to Felony Murder Based on Felon-in-Possession Charge, by Anthony Accurso
5. Fifth Circuit Announces Geofence Warrants Are Unconstitutional ‘Modern-Day General Warrants’, by Sam Rutherford
6. Federal Judges Closing Loophole That Permits Government to Conduct Warrantless Searches of Cellphones at Border, by Douglas Ankney
7. Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Trial Court Violated Defendant’s ‘Due Process’ Right to Be Present During Zoom Probation Revocation Hearing by Muting Him, by Sam Rutherford
8. Kansas Supreme Court Announces Complete and Wrongful Denial of Defendant’s Constitutional Right to Testify Constitutes ‘Structural Error’ and Reverses Convictions Where Defendant Removed From Stand and Entire Testimony Stricken, by Douglas Ankney
9. Sixth Circuit Strikes Retroactive Application of Parts of Tennessee’s Sweeping Sex Offender Registration, Verification, and Tracking Law, by Sam Rutherford
10. Cops Want to Use DNA for Facial Recognition, by Michael Thompson
11. Systemic Failures in Background Check Reporting Is Ruining Lives and Costing Billions of Dollars, by Anthony Accurso
12. Study Finds That Black Americans Want Both Police Presence and Reform: Looking Beyond the Headlines, by Jo Ellen Nott
13. New Research Method Leads to Better Touch DNA Recovery and Development of Genetic Profiles, by Douglas Ankney
14. U.S. Sentencing Commission Publishes Data Report on Compassionate Release in FY 2023, by Matthew Clarke
15. Refuting the Government’s Argument Against Nonretroactive Changes in Law as Grounds for Compassionate Release, by Dale Chappell
16. Third Circuit District Court Erred by Failing to Consider Mitigating Evidence Under § 3553(a) Because It Mistakenly Believed Such Grounds Already Taken Into Consideration Based on Safety-Valve, Minor Role, and Acceptance of Responsibility Departures in, by Sam Rutherford
17. Fourth Circuit Vacates Order Denying § 2254 Motion, Remands for Evidentiary Hearing on Whether Counsel’s Failure to Object to Duplicative Drug Conspiracy Counts in Violation of Double Jeopardy Clause Was Strategic, by Matthew Clarke
18. Rhode Island Supreme Court Holds Temporal Requirement of ‘Recent Fabrication’ Exception to Hearsay Rule Not Satisfied and Scribbled Note Made by Child Victim of Sexual Abuse Years After Alleged Events Not ‘Excited Utterance’, by Matthew Clarke
19. Louisiana Becomes First State in Nation to Allow Judges to Order Surgical Castration for Sex Offenders, by Jo Ellen Nott
20. Virginia Supreme Court Announces Parties Are Free to Renegotiate Plea Agreement Not Already Accepted by Trial Court, Which May Not Enforce Original Plea Against Parties’ Wishes, by Sam Rutherford
21. Ninth Circuit Clarifies ‘Implicit Breach’ Case Law Regarding When Government Breaches Plea Agreement by Responding to Defendant’s Request for Downward Variant Sentence, by Sam Rutherford
22. News in Brief

More from Matthew Clarke:

• Texas Social Workers Challenge Blanket Denial of State Occupational License Based on Youthful Assault Convictions, Aug. 1, 2025
• After Judge’s Letter, at Least 22 Former FCI Dublin Prisoners Granted Compassionate Release, Aug. 1, 2025
• Nebraska Supreme Court Clarifies Award of Time Served 
Credit for Non-Citizen Awaiting Extradition, Aug. 1, 2025
• Former Oregon Prison Guard Sergeant Sentenced 
for Sexually Abusing Imprisoned Women, Aug. 1, 2025
• Nebraska Supreme Court Clarifies Procedure for Crediting 
Jail Time to Multiple Contemporaneously-Imposed Sentences, Aug. 1, 2025
• Over One-Third of Older Texas Prisoners 
Suffering Cognitive Impairment, July 15, 2025
• Kansas Supreme Court Revives Prisoner’s Challenge 
to Loss of Parental Rights, June 1, 2025
• Fifth Circuit Reinstates Baha’i Texas Prisoner’s Dietary Claim, June 1, 2025
• $5.6 Million Settlement for California Prisoner’s Wife 
Strip-searched During Visit, June 1, 2025
• Academic Study of Prison Guards’ Use of Excessive Force 
Details Sad State of Civil Rights for Abused Prisoners, June 1, 2025

More from these topics:

• Illinois Supreme Court Announces Conviction 
for Attempted First Degree Murder Requires 
‘Intent to Kill Without Lawful Justification, Aug. 1, 2025. Jury Instructions, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Inconsistent.
• News in Brief, June 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Excessive Force, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel.
• Arguing Successful Federal Habeas Corpus Claims, June 1, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Sixth Amendment, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel.
• Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court: Defense Counsel Had Actual Conflict of Interest Where Own Performance During Police Interview of Defendant Could Serve as Basis of Motion to Suppress Based on Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, New Trial Required W, March 15, 2025. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Motions To Suppress, Conflict of Interest.
• Third Circuit Grants Habeas Relief to Prisoner on Confrontation Clause and Ineffective Assistance Claims Based on Trial Court Reading Entire Criminal Information Into the Record of Co-Conspirator Who Pleaded Guilty, Feb. 15, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Exculpatory No Doctrine, Confrontation Clause/Rights, Witnesses - Prior Statements/Testimony, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas.
• Ninth Circuit: Defense Counsel Ineffective for Failing to Move to Suppress Evidence Obtained as a Result of Police Officer Trespassing on Curtilage of Defendant’s Home, Feb. 1, 2025. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Motions To Suppress, Searches - Home/Curtilage, Suppression.
• Georgia Supreme Court Grants Habeas Relief Where Both Trial and Appellate Counsel Provided Ineffective Assistance by Failing to Challenge Indictment for Residential Burglary That Failed to Allege Defendant Illegally Entered a ‘Dwelling’, Jan. 15, 2025. Habeas Corpus, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Constitutional Challenges/Law.
• Third Circuit Announces Claim of Innocence Does Not Resolve Whether Defendant Would Have Accepted Plea Offer Absent Counsel’s Error and Holds Counsel Ineffective for Failing to Properly Advise Defendant About Mandatory Sentences If Plea Offer Rejected, Dec. 15, 2024. Actual Innocence/Claim of Innocence, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Mandatory Minimum Sentence, Plea Agreements/Guilty Pleas, Rejection.
• Delaware Supreme Court: Counsel Ineffective for Failing to Challenge Search of Cellphone Where Consent Was Ambiguous and Warrant Constituted a General Warrant, Nov. 1, 2024. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Searches - Cellphones/Computers/Internet, Warrants - Requirements/Scope/Exceptions.
• Arizona Supreme Court Allows Third PCR Motion Based on IAC for Erroneous Advice About Parole Eligibility Due to ‘Pervasive Confusion’ Regarding Parole Within Legal Community, Nov. 1, 2024. Parole, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Remands/Rehearings/Resentencings.