Criminal Practice

  • August 03, 2026

    Mich. High Court Revives Diminished Capacity Defense

    The Michigan Supreme Court has revived the diminished capacity defense in criminal cases, overruling a 25-year-old precedent that barred defendants from using evidence of mental illness short of legal insanity to challenge whether they acted with the intent required for a crime.

  • August 03, 2026

    Disputes Continue, 1 Week Into NY Public Defender Strikes

    Two unions representing hundreds of New York public defenders remain on strike Monday, with managers from the Neighborhood Defender Service of Harlem requesting third-party mediation during their most recent negotiations on Sunday.

  • August 03, 2026

    Blanche's Nix Of Trump's $1.8B Fund Wins Over GOP Sens.

    Two holdout GOP senators said Monday that they would support confirmation of acting Attorney General Todd Blanche to the permanent role after he gave assurances that President Donald Trump's $1.8 billion "anti-weaponization" fund, created as part of a settlement with the IRS, would not move forward.

  • July 31, 2026

    Law360 Names 2026's Top Attorneys Under 40

    Law360 is pleased to announce the Rising Stars of 2026, our list of more than 160 attorneys under 40 whose legal accomplishments belie their age.

  • July 31, 2026

    3rd Circ. Issues Warning Against Vague Sentencing Factors

    The Third Circuit on Friday upheld the conviction of a man accused of smuggling marijuana into the Virgin Islands, finding in a precedential opinion that a federal court in the territory did not incorrectly rely on his previous arrest record when determining his sentencing length.

  • July 31, 2026

    Calif. Supreme Court Reverses Strike Of 'Less Attentive' Juror

    The California Supreme Court held that a prosecutor's claim that a prospective juror was "less attentive" than others is not enough to support a peremptory strike, saying a 2022 California law aimed at prohibiting bias in juror removals requires more than a behavioral reason.

  • July 31, 2026

    11th Circ. Backs Nurse's 20-Year Term In $111M Medicare Case

    The Eleventh Circuit on Friday agreed with a nurse practitioner that a trial court erred in giving prosecutors more time in closing arguments at her $111 million Medicare fraud trial, but upheld her conviction and 20-year sentence after finding the evidence against her was "overwhelming."

  • July 31, 2026

    Ariz. Justices Clarify Clergy Minor Abuse Reporting Laws

    Arizona's highest court has unanimously determined that under the state's child abuse statute, clergy members who learn about an abuse of a minor are not required to report it if the clergy learned about the abuse through confession, or if reporting it would violate their religion.

  • July 31, 2026

    Conn. Justices Revive Lawsuit Over Killer's Hospital Release

    The Connecticut Supreme Court for the first time Friday said mental health providers must try to protect identifiable victims from dangerous patients, ordering a Hartford HealthCare subsidiary to face ordinary negligence claims from the estate of a woman slain by her former boyfriend, a dentist who then killed himself.

  • July 31, 2026

    Michigan Justices Nix Teen's 'Cruel' 50-Year Murder Sentence

    Michigan's highest court has ruled that a 50- to 75-year sentence for a teenager convicted of second-degree murder was unconstitutionally cruel or unusual, calling the prison term "grossly disproportionate" in its latest ruling limiting severe sentences for young offenders.

  • July 31, 2026

    Mich. High Court Tosses Murder Conviction Over DNA Test

    A man convicted of first-degree murder will receive a new trial after the Michigan Supreme Court ruled on Thursday that police violated the state constitution by testing blood on his pants without a warrant or his consent. 

  • July 31, 2026

    Fla. Tells 11th Circ. Migrant Transport Law Isn't Preempted

    Florida urged the Eleventh Circuit on Friday to reverse an injunction blocking a state law that criminalizes the transportation of immigrants living in the country illegally, arguing that the law's challengers are reading the state law too broadly.

  • July 31, 2026

    NY Public Defense Org. Denies Union's ULP Claims

    The Neighborhood Defender Services of Harlem's leadership on Friday denied allegations from the union representing its more than 100 employees that it has offered unlawful incentives to break its ongoing strike.

  • July 30, 2026

    Minneapolis' Former Top Public Defender Gets Disbarred

    The Minnesota Supreme Court on Wednesday disbarred Hennepin County's former chief public defender after he was convicted of felony tax evasion and found to have misappropriated client funds, calling his actions "the most serious types of attorney misconduct."

  • July 30, 2026

    Murdaugh Seeks Independent Retest of Wife's Fingernail DNA

    Disgraced South Carolina attorney Alex Murdaugh on Thursday asked a state court to order that DNA evidence recovered from his wife's fingernails be tested by an independent laboratory, arguing that state lab tests are not thorough enough to be useful in his retrial on charges that he murdered his family.

  • July 30, 2026

    Fla. Panel Says Gun Selfie Was Fair Evidence In Murder Case

    A Florida state appellate court upheld a murder conviction for a man sentenced to life in prison for the shooting death of a woman over several pairs of sneakers, ruling that a selfie of the shooter brandishing a handgun wasn't prejudicial in the case. 

  • July 30, 2026

    5th Circ. Upholds Plea Term Requiring Mental Health Meds

    The Fifth Circuit has ruled that a Texas man still cannot overturn a special sentencing condition requiring him to take prescribed mental health medication even despite the U.S. Supreme Court granting the man's appeal and setting a new standard for exceptions to appeal waivers in plea deals.

  • July 30, 2026

    Conn. Bans Most In-Cell Restraints To Settle Prison Lawsuit

    Connecticut's prisons on Sept. 1 will stop using separate restraints on inmates locked in holding cells, the state's corrections commissioner announced Thursday, settling a lawsuit by disability rights advocates who said the state was inappropriately using shackles to deal with mental illness symptoms.

  • July 30, 2026

    Defenders Have 'Ethical Duty' To Use AI, NACDL Paper Says

    Horror stories abound about lawyers getting punished for filing briefs riddled with artificial-intelligence hallucinations. But in a report released Thursday, the nation's biggest criminal defense association said attorneys should be just as scared about failing to make enough use of the new technology.

  • July 30, 2026

    Jailed Ex-Union Head Again Denied Release To Care For Wife

    After reconsidering his previous denial of incarcerated ex-Philadelphia labor leader John Dougherty's request for compassionate release to care for his disabled wife, a Pennsylvania federal judge has again held that the former International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers Local 98 business manager should remain in prison to serve out his six-year sentence for bribery and embezzlement.

  • July 30, 2026

    Ohio Panel Says Burnt Pot Smell Justified Vehicle Search

    An Ohio appeals court has ruled that even though marijuana is legal in the state, law enforcement can use visible signs of the drug's use as probable cause to search a vehicle, as driving while intoxicated is still a crime.

  • July 30, 2026

    DOJ Debuts Terrorist Removal Court In Afghan Mother's Case

    An Afghan national with legal permanent resident status was accused of plotting an ISIS-inspired mass shooting on Election Day in 2024 in the first ever hearing Thursday morning at U.S. Alien Terrorist Removal Court, a court that has been unused since it was created in 1996.

  • July 30, 2026

    Trump May Renominate Blanche If GOP Holdouts Block Vote

    With Sens. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and Thom Tillis, R-N.C., still on the fence about acting Attorney General Todd Blanche's confirmation to be attorney general, President Donald Trump said Thursday he might renominate Blanche next year when the two senators are no longer serving in the Senate.

  • July 30, 2026

    2 Traders Admit Guilt In Stolen BigLaw Info Scheme

    Two men pled guilty Thursday in Massachusetts federal court to their roles in a sweeping scheme to trade on inside information stolen from huge corporate law firms about upcoming deals.

  • July 30, 2026

    Bronx Legal Aid Organization's Union Rejects New Pay Offer

    The Bronx Defenders' executive director said on Thursday that the union representing the organization's over 300 attorneys and staff has rejected an updated offer on wages, with both sides still at odds over the prospect of separate salary scales for lawyers and social workers.

Expert Analysis

  • Becoming The Biz-Savvy GC That Portfolio Companies Need

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    Candidates for general counsel roles at private equity-backed portfolio companies should prioritize proving their sector-specific experience, commercial judgment and ease with uncertainty — and attorneys hoping to be candidates in five to 10 years should start working on those skills now, says Dimitri Mastrocola at Major Lindsey.

  • Reel Justice: 'Project Hail Mary' Can Aid Cross-Examination

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    In the new science fiction film, "Project Hail Mary," a character understood that survival depended on eliminating ambiguity — a useful lesson that trial lawyers can implement by asking statements that are delivered in the form of a question during cross-examination, says Veronica Finkelstein at Wilmington University.

  • Series

    Judges On AI: How Courts Can Survive The Tech Revolution

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    Colorado Supreme Court Justice Maria Berkenkotter and Colorado Court of Appeals Judge Lino Lipinsky de Orlov discuss how artificial intelligence has already fundamentally altered the legal system and offer tips for courts navigating deepfakes, hallucinations and a gap in access to AI tools.

  • A Framework For Habeas Relief After 5th Circ. Bond Ruling

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    Following the Fifth Circuit’s recent Buenrostro-Mendez v. Bondi decision foreclosing statutory bond for detained nonimmigrants not deemed admitted to the U.S., lawyers should adopt a framework that requests habeas relief pursuant to the Fifth Amendment’s due process clause, says Kemal Hepsen at Mandamus Lawyers.

  • What Jury Holdouts Can Teach Trial Lawyers About Strategy

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    Though a hung jury can be a disappointment, a psychological understanding of jury holdouts can help trial lawyers shape their damages arguments and understand leadership and group composition as a function of jury selection, says Clint Townson at Townson Litigation.

  • 3 AI Adoption Mistakes GCs Should Avoid

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    The pressure in-house legal teams face to quickly adopt artificial intelligence tools, combined with budget constraints and the need to evaluate a crowded market of options, sets the stage for implementation mistakes that are often difficult to undo, says former 23andMe general counsel Guy Chayoun.

  • Sentencing Tips For Defending Crypto Conspiracy Cases

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    The sentencing of Evan Tangeman to 70 months in federal prison for laundering money in a cryptocurrency conspiracy illustrates that defense attorneys representing clients in multidefendant crypto cases need to understand the mechanics of conspiracy liability, loss attribution and restitution exposure before they reach the sentencing table, says Joseph De Gregorio at Sentencing Advocacy.

  • Series

    Playing Basketball Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My grandfather used to say "I wear your jersey" as shorthand for wholly committing to support someone with loyalty and integrity — ideals that have shaped my life on the basketball court and in legal practice, says Tracy Schimelfenig at Schimelfenig Legal.

  • Series

    The Biz Court Digest: Georgia Court Has Business On Its Mind

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    Thanks to recent legislation, the Georgia State-wide Business Court will soon offer business litigants greater access to the court than ever before, further enhancing the court's emphasis on efficiency, predictability and accessibility for sophisticated commercial disputes, says former GSBC judge Walt Davis at Jones Day.

  • 4 Emerging Approaches To AI Protective Order Language

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    Over the last year, at least five federal district courts have issued or analyzed specific protective order provisions restricting the use of generative artificial intelligence platforms with protected materials, establishing that proactive AI-specific provisions are now standard practice and demonstrating that no single model works for every case, says Joel Bush at Kilpatrick.

  • Heppner Ruling Left AI Privilege Risk For Lawyers Unresolved

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    While a New York federal judge’s recent ruling in U.S. v. Heppner resolved a privilege question surrounding client-side artificial intelligence use, it did not address how to mitigate the risks that can arise when confidential information enters the operative context of an AI system used by an attorney, says Jianfei Chen at Quarles & Brady​​​​​​​.

  • Expect US Enforcers' Cartel Crackdown To Continue

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    Since agencies’ coordinated enforcement efforts targeting cartel-related activity have not slowed, U.S. companies in Latin America should assess new business lines for designated-cartel ties, scrutinize highest-risk third parties, and enhance training and internal investigation practices, say attorneys at Miller & Chevalier.

  • The Ethics And Practicalities Of Representing AI Agents

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    With autonomous artificial intelligence agents now able to take action without explicit instructions from — or the awareness of — their human owners, the bar must confront whether existing frameworks like informed consent and client privilege will be sufficient on the day an AI agent calls seeking counsel, say attorneys at Morrison Cohen.

  • Arguments Show Justices Vacillating On Geofence Warrants

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    Questions and statements by the justices during recent oral arguments in Chatrie v. U.S., probing the Fourth Amendment limits of geofence warrants, revealed a Supreme Court that is skeptical of the government’s most sweeping claims, uncomfortable with the petitioner’s broadest theories and searching for a narrow off-ramp, say attorneys at Rogers Joseph.

  • Series

    Speed Jigsaw Puzzling Makes Me A Better Lawyer

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    My passion for speed puzzling — I can complete a 500-piece jigsaw puzzle in under 50 minutes — has sharpened my legal skills in more ways than one, with both disciplines requiring patience, precision and the ability to keep the bigger picture in mind while working through the details, says Tazia Statucki at Proskauer.

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