More from this issue:

1. Zombie Forensics: Discredited Science Stalking the Courtroom, by Chuck Sharman
2. New Jersey Supreme Court Announces “Shaking Without Impact” Expert Testimony Inadmissible, Holding Shaken Baby Syndrome Diagnosis Lacks Required General Acceptance Within Biomechanical Engineering Community Under Frye, by David Kim
3. First Circuit Clarifies Mitigating Role Analysis – Sentencing Courts Must Consider All Identifiable Participants in Drug Shipment, Not Just Crew Members, and Use § 3B1.2 Factors to Assess Relative Culpability, Not Guilt, by Douglas Ankney
4. Ninth Circuit Grants Equitable Tolling Under AEDPA Where Attorney Abandoned Prisoner by Failing to Communicate for Nine Months and Prison Officials Delayed Processing Filing Documents, by David Kim
5. Maryland Supreme Court Announces Public Defender Act Requires Effective Assistance of Counsel in Certiorari Petition Where Public Defender Appointed Panel Attorney for Direct Appeal and Certiorari Petition, by Sagi Schwartzberg
6. Ninth Circuit Affirms Exclusion of Plea Agreement’s Factual Basis, Holding Unaccepted “Type A” Plea Agreement Unenforceable to Trigger Waiver of Rule 410 Protections, by Anthony Accurso
7. When AI Invents the Pixels: Challenging AI-Enhanced Video Evidence in Criminal Cases, by Richard Resch
8. Jury Returns Record $80 Million Verdict for Wrongful Conviction Based on DA Misconduct, by Jo Ellen Nott
9. Ninth Circuit Announces Abandonment Doctrine Applies to Cellphones but Courts Must Analyze Intent to Abandon Device Separately From Intent to Abandon Data, by David Kim
10. Seventh Circuit Announces One-Year Time Limit in Rule 35(b) Is Nonjurisdictional Claim-Processing Rule, Overruling Prior Precedent in Light of Supreme Court’s Hamer Decision, by David Kim
11. California Supreme Court Announces Pre-2009 Provocative Act Murder Convictions Are Not Categorically Ineligible for Resentencing Under § 1172.6, by Sagi Schwartzberg
12. Police AI and “Sycophancy”: New Evidence Tools May Tell Cops Exactly What They Want to Hear, by Michael Thompson
13. Mass Surveillance for Profit: Flock’s AI Reports “Suspicious” Movement to Police, by Sagi Schwartzberg
14. SCOTUS Holds Sixth Amendment Requires Case-Specific Necessity Determination to Screen Child Witnesses, Rejecting Reliance on Mandatory State Statutes Based on Generalized Legislative Findings, by Richard Resch
15. Pennsylvania Supreme Court Announces Presentence Confinement on Probation Detainer Must Be Credited to New Sentence Where Same Conduct Triggered Both Detainer and New Charges, by Matthew Clarke
16. The Legal Fight for Homeowner Compensation After SWAT Raids, by Jo Ellen Nott
17. Minnesota Supreme Court Announces Warrantless Buccal Swab Pursuant to Discovery Order Violates Fourth Amendment, Overrules Inevitable Discovery Precedent, and Clarifies Accomplice-Corroboration Statute Applies Only to Sworn Testimony, by David Kim
18. NEWS IN BRIEF

More from David Kim:

• Ninth Circuit Holds Martinez May Excuse Nevada’s Timeliness and Successive-Petition Bars for Trial Ineffective Assistance Claims, Oct. 1, 2026
• Tenth Circuit Announces Valid Checks Alone Insufficient for § 1344(2) Bank Fraud, Holding Alleged Failure to Disclose Plausible Defense Warrants § 2255 Hearing, Oct. 1, 2026
• Eleventh Circuit Announces Concealed Firearm Possession Alone Insufficient for Reasonable Suspicion Under Florida’s Amended Concealed-Carry Law, Oct. 1, 2026
• Tenth Circuit Announces Resentencing After Probation Revocation Must Begin with Chapter 7 Range, Holding Chapter 5 Range Should Be Considered When Deciding Whether to Vary, Sept. 1, 2026
• Hawaii Supreme Court Announces False Evidence Standard Governs Post-Conviction Claims That Scientific Developments Invalidated Expert Testimony, Holding Prosecution Knowledge Not Required Under State Due Process Clause, Sept. 1, 2026
• Alaska Supreme Court Announces “Stop and Clarify” Rule Under Article I, Sections 9 and 11 of Alaska Constitution, Holding Officers Must Cease Questioning and Clarify Ambiguous Post-Waiver Request for Counsel, Sept. 1, 2026
• California Supreme Court Announces Article I, Section 28(f)(3) Does Not Authorize Denial of Bail Beyond Offenses Specified in Section 12, Holding Bail Must Generally Be Set in Amount Reasonably Attainable for Defendant, Sept. 1, 2026
• Connecticut Supreme Court Holds Trial Counsel Ineffective for Failing to Challenge Misleading CSLI GeoTime Video, Sept. 1, 2026
• Michigan Supreme Court Announces Two-Step Test for Mandatory LWOP Imposed for Pre-Aaron Felony Murder, Sept. 1, 2026
• Buried in Plain Sight: How Digital Discovery Turns Disclosure Itself Into Concealment, Aug. 15, 2026

More from these topics:

• Eleventh Circuit Announces Concealed Firearm Possession Alone Insufficient for Reasonable Suspicion Under Florida’s Amended Concealed-Carry Law, Oct. 1, 2026. Reasonable Suspicion, Gun Laws/Crimes, Exclusionary Rule, Terry Stops.
• 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. DNA Testing/Samples, Abuse of Discretion Standard, Statutory Construction/Interpretation.
• FBI Approves Rapid DNA Workflow for CODIS, Aug. 1, 2026. DNA Testing/Samples, Databases, Forensic Sciences, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of, Scientific Testimony or Evidence.
• 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.
• Passive Data Transforms Smart Devices Into Covert Witnesses in a Silent Surveillance State, July 1, 2026. Forensic Sciences, Police State-Surveillance, Searches - Cellphones/Computers/Internet, Electronic Surveillance, Exclusionary Rule.
• Florida Supreme Court Announces “Results” of Postconviction DNA Testing Under § 925.11 Include Underlying Testing Data Necessary for Expert Analysis, Holding That No Additional Burden Applies Once a Motion for Testing Has Been Granted, June 1, 2026. DNA Testing/Samples, Disclosure of Records, Public Records, Forensic Sciences, Scientific Testimony or Evidence.
• 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.
• Your DNA Was at the Scene, But You Weren’t: How Touch DNA Is Convicting the Innocent, June 1, 2026. DNA Testing/Samples, junk science, Wrongful Conviction, DNA Evidence, Evidence - Admissibility, Claim of Innocence.