News Roundup
The top national story this week is that the Supreme Court just heard oral argument in a case involving a shocking error by law enforcement. In 2017, an FBI SWAT […]
Case Summaries: Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (March 2025)
This post summarizes published criminal law and related cases released by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals during March 2025. Cases of potential interest to state practitioners are summarized monthly. […]
News Roundup
This morning, President Biden announced that he will commute the sentences of nearly 2,500 inmates serving long prison terms for nonviolent drug offenses. The commutations are for offenders who received […]
Is Santa a Criminal?
Around this time of year, many Americans begin to think about Santa. Will he visit? What will he bring? Will Rudolph be guiding his sleigh? As children normally picture him, […]
Considerations When Processing Arrests of 16- and 17-year-olds Under Criminal Jurisdiction
When Session Law (S.L.) 2024-17 takes effect next Sunday, December 1, cases in which a Class A – E felony offense is alleged to have been committed at age 16 […]
Shifting the Landscape for the Domestic Violence 48-Hour Rule?
The “48-hour rule,” as it is known in domestic violence cases, has been covered on this blog numerous times over the years (see here, here, and here). The rule shifts […]
A Common Calendaring Concern: The Unilateral Reset
A question that arises with some frequency is whether the district attorney is free to unilaterally “reset” a matter in superior court by changing the trial date after a date […]
News Roundup
The most significant criminal law story this week was the mass shooting at Apalachee High School in Barrow County, Georgia. Tragically, two teachers and two students were killed, and at […]
Case Summaries: Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals (July 2024)
This post summarizes published criminal law and related cases released by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals during July 2024. Cases of potential interest to state practitioners are summarized monthly. […]
News Roundup
The lead criminal law story this week relates to the Illinois deputy charged in connection with the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey in her Springfield, Illinois home on July 6. […]