Criminal Justice

Joyce Hens Green, a pioneering woman on the federal bench, dies at 95

Joyce Hens Green, who helped blaze a trail for women in the law while serving as a Washington attorney and federal judge, presiding over high-profile cases involving the BCCI bank fraud scandal and the rights of detainees at Guantánamo Bay, has died. She was 95.

Oct 18, 2024 8:10 AM CDT

Will diversity policy affect hiring of independent monitor in Boeing case? Federal judge wants to know

A federal judge considering a proposed plea agreement between Boeing and the U.S. Department of Justice wants to know how diversity, equity and inclusion policies will influence the selection of a monitor to assess compliance.

Oct 17, 2024 11:11 AM CDT

New Hampshire Supreme Court justice is indicted

A New Hampshire Supreme Court justice has been indicted for allegedly trying to interfere with a criminal investigation of her husband.

Oct 17, 2024 9:25 AM CDT

Judge suspended without pay after indictment for alleged fake layoffs

A common pleas judge in York County, Pennsylvania, has been suspended without pay following his indictment for allegedly urging four law firm employees to collect unemployment benefits during the COVID-19 pandemic while continuing to work from home.

Oct 15, 2024 9:10 AM CDT

DOJ announces $3B in fines for landmark money-laundering case

TD Bank pleaded guilty to federal money laundering charges Thursday, agreeing to pay more than $3 billion in fines for enabling drug traffickers and other criminals to open accounts and transfer money through the bank. Attorney General Merrick Garland announced the agreement and said the bank is the first in American history to plead guilty to conspiring to laundering money.

Oct 11, 2024 9:56 AM CDT

Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs appears in court as judge sets May 2025 trial date

Sean “Diddy” Combs appeared in Manhattan federal court as a judge set a May 5 trial date in the music mogul’s racketeering and sex trafficking case.

Oct 11, 2024 9:50 AM CDT

Judge approves releasing source documents that detail more Trump-Jan. 6 evidence

A federal judge on Thursday approved the public release of redacted source documents that helped inform special counsel Jack Smith’s explosive 165-page legal brief arguing that Donald Trump can still face prosecution for trying to subvert the results of the 2020 election, but gave the former president seven days to take steps to block the disclosure.

Oct 11, 2024 9:31 AM CDT

New ‘Law of the Police’ class open to law students, lawyers and the public

Starting next week, lawyers and law students can learn more about policing and the law, from anywhere and for free.

Oct 10, 2024 3:02 PM CDT

Former CFO at Tom Girardi’s law firm reaches plea deal, agrees to $3.1M forfeiture

The former chief financial officer at disbarred lawyer Tom Girardi’s law firm has reached a deal to plead guilty to two counts of wire fraud that caused losses of at least $3.5 million.

Oct 10, 2024 9:18 AM CDT

SCOTUS seems closely divided on new trial for Oklahoma death row inmate

The Supreme Court appeared closely divided Wednesday over whether to order a new trial for Oklahoma death-row inmate Richard Glossip, whose case has attracted support from across the political spectrum after independent investigations revealed prosecutorial misconduct.

Oct 9, 2024 3:50 PM CDT

Female lawyer lead in ‘Matlock’ on CBS shows the power of appearing powerless

When I first came across the new Matlock offering staring Kathy Bates, I figured it would either be a reboot or a continuation of the original series, which starred Andy Griffith and ran from 1986 to 1995. However, the production team answered that question within the first few minutes of the pilot: 2024’s Matlock is kin to its predecessor only in name and genre. The meta explanation given for the series’ title is the first of many surprises in store for the audience.

Oct 9, 2024 8:44 AM CDT

SCOTUS immunity decision may have protected crimes in Nixon White House, 9th Circuit judge says

White House “plumbers” who broke into the office of the psychiatrist treating the man who leaked the Pentagon Papers may have had immunity for their crimes if the U.S. Supreme Court’s July immunity decision had governed the cases, according to an op-ed by a federal appeals judge.

Oct 8, 2024 3:54 PM CDT

Supreme Court appears likely to uphold regulation of ghost guns

The Supreme Court seemed poised on Tuesday to uphold a major gun regulation imposed by the Biden administration that requires background checks, serial numbers and sales records for the nearly untraceable firearms known as ghost guns.

Oct 8, 2024 12:42 PM CDT

Lawyer accused of storing 1,000 pounds of marijuana at law office enters guilty plea

A Virginia lawyer has been temporarily suspended after pleading guilty for his role in a conspiracy to distribute large amounts of marijuana.

Oct 4, 2024 9:14 AM CDT

5 takeaways from the big new filing on Trump’s 2020 election plot

We now have the most extensive new detail in years about former President Donald Trump’s plot to overturn the 2020 election, in the form of a much-anticipated filing from special counsel Jack Smith. It features some significant revelations and quotes that could be important not just for the legal battle, but for the 2024 election.

Oct 3, 2024 1:15 PM CDT