More from this issue:

1. SCOTUS ‘Shadow Docket’ Secretly Pushes Agendas, Issues Major Rulings Without Argument or Public Knowledge, by Dale Chappell
2. The Junk Science Cops Use to Decide You’re Lying, by Jordan Smith
3. From the Editors
4. California Court of Appeal Grants Habeas Relief Over Failure to Instruct Jury on ‘Heat of Passion’, by Dale Chappell
5. Attacking the Guilty Plea: The Art of Withdrawing a Guilty Plea, by Dale Chappell
6. Fourth Circuit: Releasee Under First Step Act Can’t ‘Bank’ Extra Time Spent in Prison Toward Future Supervised Release Violation, by Dale Chappell
7. New Hampshire Supreme Court Announces Defendant Not Required to Identify Evidentiary Support for Noticed Defense, by Douglas Ankney
8. Sixth Circuit Reverses District Court’s Grant of Summary Judgment to Defendants in § 1983 Suit Against City and Police Officers, by Douglas Ankney
9. Ninth Circuit Clarifies Use of Rule 60(b) for Changes in Law, by Dale Chappell
10. Nebraska Supreme Court Announces Remand for New Sentencing Hearing Appropriate Remedy for Enhanced Vehicular Homicide Sentence Without Evidence of Prior Convictions, by Douglas Ankney
11. Study Exposes Public Defender Plea Negotiation Practices and Suggests New Negotiation Theory, by David Reutter
12. Colorado Supreme Court Announces New Rules for Awarding Presentencing Credit, by Anthony Accurso
13. Government Agencies Expand Use of Private Companies to Bypass Constitution, by Casey Bastian
14. California Supreme Court Announces New Time Limit for Habeas ‘Appeal’ Stages, Clarifying Tolling for Federal Habeas Petitioners, by Dale Chappell
15. Defense Officials: Law Enforcement in Military Garb not Appropriate, by Casey Bastian
16. South Carolina Supreme Court: Failure to Give Logan Instruction Not Harmless Error Where Evidence Almost Entirely Circumstantial, by Douglas Ankney
17. Justice Sotomayor Raises Due Process Concerns Over Eleventh Circuit’s Use of Published Successive Habeas Denial Orders, by Dale Chappell
18. Colorado Supreme Court: Prosecution Prohibited From Arguing Defendant’s Failure to Retreat Showed Lack of Fear, Undermining Claim of Self-Defense, by Douglas Ankney
19. Seventh Circuit: District Court Abused Discretion by Denying Relief Without First Considering Recalculations Under First Step Act, by Douglas Ankney
20. California Supreme Court Vacates LWOP Sentence After Its Recent Cases Clarifying ‘Special Circumstance’ Murder, by Dale Chappell
21. Arizona Supreme Court Announces Cumulative Error Framework for Reviewing Multiple Instances of Prosecutorial Misconduct, by Douglas Ankney
22. Indiana Supreme Court: Must Be Immediate Causal Connection Between Confrontation and Other Crime by Defendant to Negate Self-Defense, by Douglas Ankney
23. Seventh Circuit: Sentences for ‘Non-Covered’ Offenses Can Also Be Reduced Under First Step Act, by Dale Chappell
24. Ninth Circuit: Police Violate Fourth Amendment Executing Administrative Warrant Where Primary Purpose Is Gathering Evidence for Criminal Investigation, by Douglas Ankney
25. Interactions Between Diabetics and Law Enforcement Can Become Life-Threatening, by Casey Bastian
26. Fourth Circuit Grants ‘SOS’ § 2254 Petition Attacking Three-Decade-Old Murder Conviction Based on New Evidence, by Dale Chappell
27. Washington Federal Court: Looking at Lock Phone Screen Requires Warrant, by Anthony Accurso
28. North Carolina Supreme Court: Defendant Can’t Be Convicted of Both Habitual Misdemeanor Assault and Felony Assault for Same Act, by Douglas Ankney
29. Michigan Supreme Court: Probation Compliance Check During Unlawfully Extended Probation Was Unauthorized Warrantless Search, by Matthew Clarke
30. Medical Experts Publish Guidelines on SUDC, by Douglas Ankney
31. Successful Alternatives to Armed Police Response, by Edward Lyon
32. Tenth Circuit: District Court Plainly Erred in Giving Erroneous Constructive Possession of Firearm Instruction, Conviction Reversed, by Douglas Ankney
33. Second Circuit: District Court’s Failure to Offer Explanation for Its Sentence Constitutes Plain Error, by Douglas Ankney
34. SCOTUS Goes Live on Camera, by Jayson Hawkins
35. Maryland Court of Appeals Announces Reasonableness Standard in Providing Advice of Rights to Non-English Speaking Drivers, by David Reutter
36. Seventh Circuit: Rehaif Creates Defense and Invalidates Defendant’s Guilty Plea, by David Reutter
37. Chicago’s Police Torture Reparations, by Jayson Hawkins
38. New Jersey Supreme Court: Juror Excused After Partial Verdict Requires Mistrial on Remaining Counts, by Dale Chappell
39. Policing and Racial Bias, by Kevin Bliss
40. How COVID-19 Forces New Releasees Into ‘Survival Mode’, by Dale Chappell
41. From Detroit: How Not to Use Facial Recognition in Policing, by Anthony Accurso
42. New Colorado Law Kills Qualified Immunity for Cops, by Dale Chappell
43. Minnesota Cops Use Contact Tracing to Track Protestor Networks, by Anthony Accurso
44. When Police Caught Lying, the Spin Begins, by Edward Lyon
45. Minneapolis: Use of Force Against Blacks 7 Times Higher Than That for Whites, by Kevin Bliss
46. Risk Assessment Tools Perpetuate Inherent Biases and Prejudices, by Kevin Bliss
47. New York Police Act With Impunity During Protests, by Kevin Bliss
48. New ‘Barcode’ System Puts DNA Sample to the Authenticity Test, by Anthony Accurso
49. Police Violence and the 14th Amendment, by Jayson Hawkins
50. Police Unions Buy Their Way Out of Reform, by Kevin Bliss
51. News in Brief
52. Protecting Your Phone at Protests, by Douglas Ankney

More from David Reutter:

• Philadelphia Agrees to $9.1 Million Settlement for Wrongful Murder Conviction, Feb. 15, 2025
• ‘Fictional Pleas’ and ‘Hidden Departures’: Failure to Collect Data on Binding Federal Plea Bargains Hinders Researchers, Feb. 15, 2025
• First Circuit: Two-Level Enhancement Under § 3B1.1(c) for Leadership or Managerial Role Vacated Because Government Failed to Prove Defendant’s Order Was Actually ‘Obeyed’ by Fellow Criminal Participant, Feb. 15, 2025
• Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Holds Witness Wearing Surgical Mask During Pandemic Is Denial of Sixth Amendment Right to Face-to-Face Confrontation and No General Exception to This Right for Pandemic or ‘Other Global Events’ Such as Wars and Natural, Feb. 15, 2025
• The Murky Waters of Parole, Feb. 1, 2025
• California Prisoner Awarded Over $1.26 Million in Suit Challenging Withheld Legal Mail Which Resulted in Habeas Loss, Jan. 15, 2025
• Muslim New York Prisoner’s Free Exercise of Religion Claim Reinstated, Jan. 15, 2025
• Fourth Circuit: Baltimore County Prisoners May Qualify as Employees under FLSA, Jan. 15, 2025
• In Failure-to-Treat Claims, Wellpath Denied Dismissal in Virginia, Settles in Pennsylvania, Dec. 15, 2024
• Trends Show Mortality Risks Increase with Higher Jail Turnover Rates, Dec. 15, 2024

More from these topics:

• Ohio Supreme Court: Defendant Has Reasonable and Legitimate Basis to Withdraw Guilty Plea Before Sentencing When He Discovers Evidence That Would Have Affected Decision, Feb. 15, 2023. Evidence - Failure to Disclose, Grounds For Withdrawal.
• First Circuit: Defendant Entitled to Withdraw Plea Where Government Withdrew From Plea Agreement Based on Defendant’s Breach, Nov. 15, 2021. Knowingly and Voluntarily Made, Grounds For Withdrawal.
• Hawaii Supreme Court Announces Five-Factor Test in Determining Whether There’s ‘Fair and Just Reason’ to Withdraw Plea, Oct. 15, 2021. Grounds For Withdrawal.
• Nevada Supreme Court: Defendant Has Right to Withdraw Plea Where He Wasn’t Informed of Range of Possible Punishments, Feb. 15, 2021. Grounds For Withdrawal, Alford plea.
• Georgia Supreme Court: Counsel’s Failure to Inform Defendant of Absolute Right to Withdraw Plea Prior to Sentencing Ineffective Assistance, Aug. 15, 2020. Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, Grounds For Withdrawal.