Evidence

In ‘Perry Mason moment,’ lawyer impeaches Infowars host Alex Jones with texts mistakenly sent by opposing counsel

Updated: A lawyer for the parents of a child killed in the 2012 Sandy Hook shooting massacre in Newtown, Connecticut, confronted Infowars host Alex Jones on Wednesday with information from texts said to be mistakenly sent by Jones’ lawyers.

Aug 4, 2022 9:24 AM CDT

ABA urges Supreme Court to hear case of inmate convicted based on faulty DNA evidence

The ABA is urging the U.S. Supreme Court to hear the case of a Texas death row inmate who was convicted based on DNA evidence deemed to be “false, misleading and unreliable” by a state habeas court.

Aug 1, 2022 8:38 AM CDT

Google ordered to pay nearly $1M for discovery violations, including David Boies’ $1,950 hourly fee

A federal magistrate judge in California has ordered Google to pay more than $971,000 in attorney fees and costs for discovery violations in a lawsuit accusing the search engine company of privacy violations.

Jul 19, 2022 8:32 AM CDT

Murder conviction of former Fisher Phillips partner is reversed; he claimed wife’s shooting was an accident

The Georgia Supreme Court has reversed the murder conviction of former Fisher Phillips partner Claud Lee “Tex” McIver III because the trial judge failed to allow jurors to consider a lesser misdemeanor charge.

Jun 30, 2022 3:39 PM CDT

SCOTUS rules against death row inmate seeking neurological test to show ineffective lawyering

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled 5-4 Tuesday that a federal court can’t order a state to transport a death row inmate to a medical facility for testing without a showing that the information sought would be useful in the prisoner’s habeas case.

Jun 21, 2022 2:38 PM CDT

Reed Smith’s pro bono report expresses ‘grave’ concerns about death row inmate’s conviction

A lawyer for an Oklahoma inmate plans to seek a stay of execution after Reed Smith released a report on its independent investigation of the case, undertaken pro bono at the request of a bipartisan group of more than 30 state lawmakers.

Jun 17, 2022 10:57 AM CDT

Texas federal judge proclaims that he doesn’t read 5th Circuit opinions before second reversal

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at New Orleans has reversed a federal judge’s refusal to suppress gun evidence a second time after he declared that he doesn’t read 5th Circuit opinions and stuck to his initial decision.

Jun 14, 2022 2:54 PM CDT

Sotomayor argues Texas court defied SCOTUS ruling in ineffective counsel case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to hear the case of a death row inmate who successfully argued two years ago that he received ineffective assistance of counsel.

Jun 13, 2022 1:16 PM CDT

Prosecutors gain another conviction in murder of law prof Dan Markel; what was the key evidence?

The woman accused of acting as a go-between in the murder of a Florida State University law professor was convicted Friday, after jurors deliberated for about eight hours.

May 31, 2022 10:55 AM CDT

Weekly Briefs: Judge lifts Trump sanction, for now; $997M settlement offered in condo collapse

Judge willing to accept $110K, cooperation to end Trump sanction A trial-level judge in New York lifted a $10,000 daily civil contempt sanction against former President Donald Trump on Wednesday. But Judge Arthur Engoron warned that the sanction could be reinstated if Trump doesn’t pay $110,000 in accumulated fines and…

May 13, 2022 2:37 PM CDT

California bill would discourage secrecy in court orders and settlements

A bill that cleared California’s Senate Judiciary Committee last month would discourage secrecy about safety hazards discovered in litigation.

May 12, 2022 8:31 AM CDT

Technical problems during remote trial violated parent’s due process rights, top state court says

The Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court has ordered a new trial for a mother whose faulty cellphone service caused her to miss much of remote proceeding to terminate her parental rights.

May 10, 2022 11:05 AM CDT

Former paralegal in federal prosecution office is convicted for outing witnesses

A former paralegal at the U.S. attorney’s office in New Jersey was convicted Tuesday based on accusations that she outed cooperating witnesses against her gang member son.

Apr 29, 2022 2:06 PM CDT

Weekly Briefs: SCOTUS will hear inmate’s appeal of DNA testing; prosecutor accidentally shoots himself

Supreme Court will hear death row inmate’s DNA test bid The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to hear the case of a Texas death row inmate who said DNA testing would establish his innocence. After inmate Rodney Reed lost a bid in state court to obtain the test, he…

Apr 29, 2022 12:31 PM CDT

What is in the audio that led prosecutors to charge dentist in law prof’s murder?

Defense lawyers for a dentist and his former girlfriend claim that a newly enhanced secret recording exonerates their clients in the July 2014 murder of law professor Dan Markel at his Tallahassee, Florida, home.

Apr 26, 2022 11:07 AM CDT