Criminal Justice

‘Ultimatedadbod’ lawyer arrested on child exploitation charges after chats with undercover agents reveal identity

Updated: A Tennessee lawyer was arrested last week on federal charges that include child exploitation and animal crushing after he allegedly shared a digital photo of himself with an undercover agent that included a certificate on the wall with his name.

Nov 20, 2024 8:56 AM CST

Georgia appeals court cancels arguments on removal of DA Fani Willis from Trump case

The Georgia Court of Appeals on Monday abruptly canceled oral arguments on Donald Trump’s appeal of a state court ruling allowing Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis (D) to continue prosecuting the 2020 election interference case against the president-elect and several of his allies.

Nov 19, 2024 3:25 PM CST

NY prosecutors appear open to yearslong delay in Trump hush money case

Manhattan prosecutors Tuesday said they will oppose a request by Donald Trump’s lawyers to dismiss his 34-count felony conviction but suggested they were open to postponing proceedings in the case until after the president-elect’s second term in the White House.

Nov 19, 2024 3:20 PM CST

Legislature can’t use subpoena to delay execution in shaken-baby case, Texas Supreme Court rules

Texas lawmakers can’t force courts to delay an execution by issuing a legislative subpoena for a death row inmate’s testimony after the scheduled execution date, the Texas Supreme Court has ruled.

Nov 19, 2024 1:41 PM CST

Teen who enrolled in law school at age 13 becomes youngest person to pass California bar exam

A 17-year-old girl has beaten her brother’s record to become the youngest person to pass the California bar exam.

Nov 19, 2024 8:51 AM CST

Trial gets underway for alleged hit man accused of shooting attorney for litigant friend

A Hilton Head, South Carolina, man is on trial this week for attempted murder in an April 2023 shooting of a Greenville, South Carolina, attorney.

Nov 13, 2024 3:10 PM CST

Lawyer accused of stealing over $31K from jailed woman after she signed power of attorney at his request

A lawyer in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, has been accused of stealing more than $31,000 from an imprisoned woman awaiting a competency hearing after she agreed to sign an agreement giving power of attorney to his employee.

Nov 13, 2024 9:51 AM CST

Following pay changes with Idaho public defender’s office, agency saw more than 1,000 withdrawals

Updated: Recent Idaho public defender pay rate changes led to many counsel heading for the exits, and the Idaho State Bar issued a formal ethics opinion due to concerns. It recognizes financial hardships can cause conflicts in legal representation but notes that counsel cannot leave a case without the court’s approval.

Nov 13, 2024 9:07 AM CST

Appeals judge told state attorney how to handle resentencing while badmouthing others, texts indicate

A Florida appeals judge who obtained a 2004 murder conviction of an alleged gang leader texted advice to the Miami-Dade, Florida, state attorney handling his resentencing while “denigrating defense attorneys and badmouthing local judges,” according to the Miami Herald.

Nov 12, 2024 11:34 AM CST

Duane Morris partner ousted after wife found dead in stairwell and her parents allege domestic violence

Updated: A judge in Cook County, Illinois, has granted a temporary restraining order that prevents a now-ousted partner at Duane Morris from retrieving the remains of his wife after her body was found in a stairwell in his South Loop residential building last month.

Nov 12, 2024 9:42 AM CST

Trump wants to expand death penalty to include these crimes

President-elect Donald Trump said during his campaign he would like to expand the death penalty to include child rapists, immigrants who kill U.S. citizens and police officers, human traffickers and drug dealers.

Nov 11, 2024 9:44 AM CST

Federal judge suspends deadlines in Trump criminal case

The judge overseeing Donald Trump’s election-interference case in D.C. federal court suspended all remaining deadlines Friday—the latest sign that the federal prosecutions of the president-elect are winding down.

Nov 8, 2024 1:00 PM CST

Evidence of judge’s ‘poisonous antisemitism’ entitles Jewish death row inmate to new trial, top Texas court says

The top criminal court in Texas has ordered a new trial for a death row inmate because of evidence that the judge was actually biased against the defendant because he is Jewish.

Nov 8, 2024 9:46 AM CST

‘Jailbreak: Love on the Run’ misses chance to examine staff sexual misconduct at detention centers

Many states including Oklahoma, where I practice, have laws that create strict liability crimes when a person in power engages in a sexual relationship with someone subject to that authority. The underlying theory is someone cannot legally consent in those situations because of the power imbalance.

Nov 7, 2024 2:31 PM CST

Lawyer suspended after arguing cocaine enhanced his cognition

A former public defender accused of representing a client at a November 2022 preliminary hearing while under the influence of cocaine has received a suspension of a year and a day.

Nov 7, 2024 11:55 AM CST