New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman led the charge earlier this month to join a legal battle against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for its decision to allow the controversial pesticide, Chlorpyrifos, to remain on the market. Schneiderman was joined by a number of states – including, Maryland, Vermont, Washington, Massachusetts … [Read more...]
The Cosby Sexual Assault Case and its Potential Afterlives
After more than ten years of civil proceedings, accusations, case building and public denouncements, one of the most high profile cases of the last decade ended in a whisper last month with a hung jury and a consequent mistrial. The question now is what further action will be taken against Bill Cosby, especially considering the unsavory fact that … [Read more...]
Supreme Court Stops Social Media Ban for Sex Offenders
On June 19th, the Supreme Court found that sexual offenders should not be barred from accessing social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter. The 8-0 ruling effectively struck down a North Carolina law that made it a felony for a registered sex offender "to access a commercial social networking Web site where the sex offender knows that the … [Read more...]
Six Michigan and Flint Officials Face Charges for Water Crisis
Michigan Attorney General Bill Schuette filed criminal charges against six current and former Michigan and Flint officials because of the roles they played in the water crisis that led to at least 12 deaths. The deaths were allegedly linked to a spreading of Legionnaires’ disease. Four of the six officials were charged with involuntary manslaughter … [Read more...]
Former Judge Decries Mandatory Minimum Sentences
In mid-April, Kevin Sharp resigned from his post on a federal court in Tennessee where he served as chief US District Judge. The former judge left to establish a fifth office for the firm Sanford Heisler. Sharp has expressed excitement at the prospect of being a lawyer again, especially at this firm, which specializes in employment and civil … [Read more...]
States Can’t Keep Court Fees of Exonerated Individuals, SCOTUS Rules
On April 19th, the Supreme Court ruled that when a criminal conviction is reversed by a reviewing court, the state must refund court costs, fees, and restitution taken from the defendant after being convicted. The ruling pertained to a Colorado law that required exonerated individuals to prove their innocence in a separate civil court before … [Read more...]
Getting to Know the Confrontation Clause
According to the Sixth Amendment, “[…]in all criminal prosecutions, the accused shall enjoy the right […] to be confronted with the witnesses against him.” This is what has come to be known as the Confrontation Clause, a foundational principle of the criminal justice system in the United States. It basically means that anyone who has been … [Read more...]
Jeff Sessions Orders Prosecutors to Seek Stricter Sentences
Attorney General (AG) Jeff Sessions issued an order on Thursday, asking federal prosecutors to mete out the toughest charges and sentences against suspected criminals, a move that effectively reverses an Obama-era order from Eric Holder asking prosecutors to reduce penalties for nonviolent drug offenses. In a memo from the Office of the Attorney … [Read more...]
A Broader Look at the Recent Dip in Federal Prosecutions
According to a Pew Research Center analysis of federal court data, the number of federal criminal prosecutions is the lowest it’s been in nearly two decades. The nadir comes at a moment when the current Attorney General, Jeff Sessions, has announced an imminent intensification of criminal prosecutions, with a focus on “illegal immigration and … [Read more...]
Supreme Court Rejects Texas Standard for Determining Inmates’ Mental Ability
The Supreme Court rejected Texas standards for determining which mentally disabled people are exempt from death row. Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote for the majority opinion saying, “Texas cannot satisfactorily explain why it applies current medical standards for diagnosing intellectual disability in other contexts, yet clings to superseded … [Read more...]
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