Supreme Court Accepts Seven New Cases Dealing with Criminal Issues
The U.S. Supreme Court has agreed to hear 10 new cases, including seven that deal with criminal law issues.
Among the questions before the court are when an undercover informant can testify about a defendant’s statements and how appeals courts should review plea bargains that have been violated by prosecutors.
SCOTUSblog reports the criminal cases include:
• Kansas v. Ventris (PDF posted by SCOTUSblog), which asks whether a prosecutor can use a defendant’s statements made to an undercover informant to impeach the defendant’s testimony at trial.
• Puckett v. United States (PDF posted by SCOTUSblog), which asks whether federal courts should use a “plain error” standard of review when prosecutors violate plea bargains and defendants don’t object at sentencing.
• Montejo v. Louisiana (PDF posted by SCOTUSblog), which asks what steps must be taken by an indigent defendant represented by a lawyer to stop police questioning without the presence of counsel.
• Vermont v. Brillon, on the scope of the right to speedy trial for indigent defendants.
• Corley v. United States, which seeks the suppression of a confession made before a suspect appears before a magistrate.
• Boyle v. United States, on the proof needed to show a criminal enterprise under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations law.
• Rivera v. Illinois, which asks whether a conviction must be overturned if a juror was seated despite a defense lawyer’s attempt to use a peremptory challenge.
