by Douglas Ankney
The Supreme Court of the United States (“SCOTUS”) held that the Excessive Fines Clause of the Eighth Amendment is applicable to the states through the Due Process Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment, inclusive of civil in rem forfeiture cases.
After Tyson Timbs pleaded guilty in an Indiana ...
by Douglas Ankney
The Supreme Court of Arkansas ruled that the search of a defendant’s wallet during a frisk for weapons pursuant to an investigatory detention constituted an unconstitutional search.
Corporal Kenneth Kennedy of the Clarksville Police Department discovered a parked car in a medium to high crime area of ...
by Douglas Ankney
The Supreme Court of North Carolina ruled that hiring an undercover officer posing as a hit man to kill another person does not satisfy the element of committing “an overt act” toward completion of the offense of attempted murder.
On February 3, 2015, Darrell Lee ...
by Douglas Ankney
After a two-and-a-half-hour hearing, Judge Catherine Wilking of Natrona County, Wyoming, dismissed a first-degree murder charge against Jason T. John. During the hearing, and at its conclusion, Wilking urged that her decision be appealed.
In July of this year, Wyoming’s “stand your ground” law took ...
by Douglas Ankney
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled that investigators failed to scrupulously honor defendant’s invocation of his right to remain silent by continuing to question him after announcing he “wasn’t going to say anything at all.” As a result, the Court ruled that ...
by Douglas Ankney
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ruled that the Sixth Amendment’s Confrontation Clause was violated when the Government introduced videotaped deposition testimony without making a good-faith effort, based on the facts of the case, to secure the witnesses’ presence at trial. As such, the ...
by Douglas Ankney
On December 18, 2018, the Supreme Court of Oklahoma ruled that when a drug court dismisses charges after a defendant’s successful completion of a treatment program, then the defendant is entitled to have the record expunged.
In July 2009, a petitioner identified as “D.A.,” was sentenced ...
by Douglas Ankney
The Supreme Court of the United States (“SCOTUS”) held that the amount of force necessary to sustain a conviction for robbery in Florida satisfies the elements clause of 18 U.S.C. § 924(e)(2)(B)(i) (“ACCA”).
In July 2015, Miami Beach Police confronted Denard Stokeling about a burglary. They removed ...
by Douglas Ankney
On January 8, 2019, the Court of Appeal for the Second Appellate District of the state of California ruled that when the only reason a defendant cannot pay a fine and court fees is the defendant’s poverty, then using the criminal process to collect the fine and ...
by Douglas Ankney
On December 5, 2018, the Court of Appeal of California, Fourth Appellate District, ruled that a commissioner may not preside over a parole revocation hearing absent a stipulation by the parties.
In June 2017, Brandon Berch was accused of violating his parole. Berch objected to Commissioner Edward ...
