More from this issue:

1. Your DNA Was at the Scene, But You Weren’t: How Touch DNA Is Convicting the Innocent, by Richard Resch
2. Minnesota Supreme Court Announces Heightened Voluntariness Inquiry Required for Contingent Guilty Pleas and Holds Plea Withdrawal Is the Proper Remedy When District Court Fails to Probe Coercion Risk, by David M. Reutter
3. Second Circuit Clarifies Limits on Sentencing Court’s Use of Unrelated Co-Defendant Conduct as § 3553(a) “Context”, by David Kim
4. 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, by David M. Reutter
5. U.S. Sentencing Commission: 2026 Amendments to the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, by Richard Resch
6. Pennsylvania Supreme Court Announces Calling Known Recalcitrant Witness Before Jury Constitutes Reversible Error and Prosecutorial Misconduct Regardless of Whether Witness Expressly Invokes Fifth Amendment Privilege, Qualifying Contrary Precedent, by David M. Reutter
7. Fifth Circuit Announces Enhanced Supervised Release Provision Under 18 U.S.C. § 3583(k) Does Not Apply to Assimilative Crimes Act Offenses, Limiting Statutory Maximum to Five Years Under § 3583(b), by Douglas Ankney
8. 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, by Douglas Ankney
9. Ninth Circuit Announces Remmer Presumption of Prejudice Governs When Racially Biased Juror Participates in Deliberations but Is Excused Before Trial Court Accepts Verdict, by David Kim
10. Sixth Circuit Announces Predetermining a Supervisee’s Revocation Term of Imprisonment at an Earlier Violation Hearing Renders the Resulting Sentence Both Procedurally and Substantively Unreasonable, by Douglas Ankney
11. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Announces Totality-of-the-Circumstances Framework for Evaluating Delayed Traffic Stops Under Article 14, Holding 24-Hour Gap Between Observed Infraction and Vehicle Stop Was Unreasonable, by Douglas Ankney
12. California Supreme Court Announces Failure to Challenge Ambiguous Jury Instructions on Imputed Malice in a Prior Direct Appeal Does Not Categorically Bar Resentencing Relief Under Penal Code § 1172.6, by David Kim
13. South Carolina Supreme Court Announces Penile Plethysmograph Results Are Inadmissible Until Underlying Science Becomes Standardized, Affirming Reversal of Sexually Violent Predator Commitment, by David Kim
14. Fourth Circuit Announces ICE’s Execution of a Removal Warrant Following a Final Removal Order Does Not Constitute a “Pending Proceeding” Under 18 U.S.C. § 1505, Vacating Noncitizen’s Obstruction Conviction in Issue of First Impression, by Douglas Ankney
15. SCOTUS Announces Sentencing Disparities Created by Nonretroactive Statutory Amendments Cannot Constitute Extraordinary and Compelling Reasons for Compassionate Release, by Richard Resch
16. The Constitution for Sale: FBI Confirms Resumption of Data Broker Dragnets, by Jo Ellen Nott
17. NEWS IN BRIEF

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:

• 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.
• Hawai’i Supreme Court Announces Totality-of-the-Circumstances Good-Cause Standard Governing State Motions to Continue Based on Witness Unavailability, Aug. 1, 2026. Motions To Suppress, Speedy Trial Clock - Tolling of, Periods of Delay, Excludable Time.
• Supreme Court of Maryland Holds Officer Lacked Reasonable Suspicion for Traffic Stop Based on Acquaintance’s Tip Reporting Innocent Conduct, Reaffirming That “High-Crime Area” Testimony Must Be Particularized, July 1, 2026. Traffic stop, Motions To Suppress, Informants and Paid Witnesses, Reasonable Suspicion, Terry Stops.
• Hawai’i Supreme Court Holds Trial Court Failed to Consider HAWJIC 3.19A Factors and “Effect of Suggestiveness on Reliability” When Evaluating Field Show-Up Identifications, July 1, 2026. witness misidentification, Motions To Suppress, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of, Suppression of Identity Evidence, Eyewitness Identification.
• 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.
• Fourth Circuit Holds Officer’s Firearms Questioning at Outset of Traffic Stop Exceeded Permissible Scope Where Officer Abandoned Stop’s Purpose From Inception and Totality of Circumstances Did Not Support Officer-Safety Justification, May 1, 2026. Motions To Suppress, Reasonable Suspicion, Traffic Stops, Suppression, Scope of Permissible Searches.
• 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.