Expert Analysis

• NJ Fingerprint Ruling Shows Forensic Reliability Isn't Static

  

  The New Jersey Supreme Court’s recent State v. Lee decision, holding that developments in forensic science warranted a renewed assessment of fingerprint evidence, reaffirmed the trial judge's role as gatekeeper and underscored that the admissibility of expert testimony is an ongoing inquiry, not a one-time determination, say attorneys at Morgan Lewis.

• Justices Stand On Statutory Specifics In Cisco And Landor

  

  With its June 23 decisions in Cisco Systems Inc. v. Doe and Landor v. Louisiana Department of Corrections and Public Safety, the U.S. Supreme Court doubled down on the critical point that the statute invoked in a federal claim must authorize a private lawsuit and the remedy sought, says Patrick Judd at Phelps Dunbar.

• Negotiating Power Imbalance In Pro Bono Client Relationships

  

  The inherent power advantage of an attorney in a client relationship is magnified in pro bono representation, but lawyers can help ease this imbalance by implementing several principles, such as sharing control, identifying resource barriers and more, says Alicia Aiken at PLI.

• DC Circ. Gag Order Rulings Reveal A Digital Privacy Paradox

  

  A pair of rulings from the D.C. Circuit reveal a growing dilemma in digital privacy jurisprudence for investigative targets, technology companies and transparency advocates — even when courts set the bar higher for broad nondisclosure requests, the public may never be allowed to learn why orders get approved, say attorneys at RJO.

• 3 Reforms To Help Pro Se Litigants Tackle Family Court Forms

  

  Self-represented family court litigants must navigate the often-bewildering process of finding, completing and filing the correct form, so courts and policymakers should consider several ways to make the process more accessible, says Caroline Rogus at Drexel University.

• Justice Requires Excluding Manner Of Death As Evidence

  

  A recent report showing that the unstandardized and subjective U.S. system of medicolegal death investigations contributes to unjust convictions should prompt courts and lawmakers to reject manner of death testimony in favor of more transparent and testable forensic evidence, say Peter Neufeld and Isabelle Cohn at the Innocence Project.

• A Simple Reminder Can Prevent Missed Court Dates

  

  Missed court hearings are costly for the legal system and can have potentially devastating consequences for individuals, but text, email and mail reminders offer a straightforward, affordable and evidence-based tool to boost appearance rates, says Anne Stotler at ideas42.

• Asylum Pretermission Ruling Erodes Procedural Protections

  

  A recent Board of Immigration Appeals decision permitting immigration judges to dismiss asylum applications without notice or evidentiary hearings adopts the civil court's summary judgment mechanism without the procedural protections that make summary judgment fair, says Georgianna Pisano Goetz at GHIRP.

• Nursing Home Abuse Cases Face 3 Barriers That Need Reform

  

  Recent headlines reveal persistent gaps in oversight and protection for vulnerable residents in long-term care, but prosecution of these cases is often stymied by numerous challenges that will require a comprehensive overhaul of regulatory, legal and financial structures to address, says Veronica Finkelstein at Wilmington University.

• 3 Ways To Boost Access To Justice In NYC Small Claims Court

  

  The New York City Small Claims Court is a critical venue for pro se litigants seeking civil justice, but the system is under strain, and three practical reforms are needed to help strengthen fairness, consistency and access, says Charles Montorio-Archer at the New York City Civil Court.

• Crime Victim Aid Should Not Be Tied To Immigration Status

  

  A Trump administration policy conditioning support services for crime victims on immigration status — currently being challenged in court — is unjust and may harm public safety, and it’s simply not necessary to effectively secure the border, say Marc Levin and Khalil Cumberbatch at Council on Criminal Justice.

• How Public Defenders Must Help Fill The Social Services Gap

  

  With public benefit programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program facing severe cuts, public defenders must take steps outside the courtroom to help clients find the physical, social and economic assistance they need to overcome the collateral consequences of incarceration, says Vichal Kumar at Partners for Justice.

• 4 Trauma-Informed Strategies For Mediating Sex Abuse Cases

  

  Navigating the justice system can be a retraumatizing experience for survivors of sexual abuse, so it’s imperative that mediators who work on these types of cases employ trauma-informed methods to foster trust and help parties reach meaningful resolutions, says Ellie Vilendrer at Signature Resolution.

• Homelessness Exec Order Conflates Criminalization With Care

  

  A recent executive order encouraging states to involuntarily commit unhoused people experiencing mental health or substance use issues — combined with a number of slashed social programs — will likely ensnare more people in the criminal legal system, where they’re unlikely to receive adequate treatment, says Regan Huston at the Prison Policy Initiative.

• High Court's Jury Rights Call Is Win For More Than Prisoners

  

  The U.S. Supreme Court’s recent decision in Perttu v. Richards — affirming the principle that no one, including incarcerated individuals, should be denied access to a jury via procedural obstacles — is a massive win for vulnerable plaintiffs facing powerful institutions, says Channing Robinson-Holmes at Pitt McGehee.