The National Pulse

California relaxes one of the nation’s most restrictive laws on police personnel records

A new California law, SB 1421, makes certain police personnel records available through California’s public records law—not just to defense lawyers or prosecutors, but to anyone who asks. The information available is limited to specific kinds of misconduct and will be scrubbed of most personal information. But some police misconduct lawyers still see it as a win.

Mar 1, 2019 1:45 AM CST

Mass shootings prompt bar associations to offer pro bono services to survivors and victims’ families

Attorneys are flocking to volunteer for bar association programs that help with probate, child custody, guardianship, victim compensation or trust matters.

Mar 1, 2019 1:40 AM CST

Competency on trial: Judges routinely force medication on mentally unstable defendants

Courts have tended to rule that forced medication should only be used to restore competency in the rarest of cases. A 2003 U.S. Supreme Court case set limits in which a court could order medication. But instead of becoming rare, forced medication has become routine and can prolong cases for years.

Feb 19, 2019 8:30 AM CST

California police release true-crime podcast in hopes the public can help find a fugitive

California millionaire Peter Chadwick—free on $1.5 million bail while awaiting trial for the murder of his wife—failed to show up for a court hearing in January 2015. With no new leads, Newport Beach Police Department produced a podcast in hopes of engaging the public in its search for one of the country’s most-wanted fugitives.

Jan 1, 2019 2:35 AM CST

Lawmakers consider banning gay and trans ‘panic defenses’

In what’s known as a “gay panic defense,” defendants say victims provoked the crime by revealing their sexuality or making a nonviolent sexual pass. The criminal defense strategy has been used since at least the 1960s.

Jan 1, 2019 2:30 AM CST

Ruling on dental photographs takes a bite out of copyright protections

A U.S. district judge in Florida ruled in June that a dentist’s before-and-after photos didn’t contain enough of a “creative spark” to merit protection. Some lawyers worry the decision, which is being appealed, could have detrimental effects on other images used in advertising.

Dec 1, 2018 2:10 AM CST

Law firms are making sure they comply with the Foreign Agents Registration Act

The Foreign Agents Registration Act requires anyone lobbying or doing public relations for a foreign government, company or other entity to register with the Department of Justice and file detailed reports about their work every six months. Violations carry penalties of up to $10,000 and five years in prison.

Dec 1, 2018 2:05 AM CST

Programs take the courthouse to the streets to help homeless people clear cases

Denver’s move is one of the latest examples of programs that have sprouted up around the country, making courts more accessible to homeless people who face lower-level misdemeanor charges.

Nov 1, 2018 2:10 AM CDT

Quirk in Florida law sets up political showdown over upcoming high court appointments

Whoever is elected this November to replace Gov. Rick Scott will take office, which has led to a sticky question: Is it the outgoing governor or his successor who has the right to appoint replacements to the court?

Nov 1, 2018 1:50 AM CDT

Legal aid program in Oklahoma is dedicated to representing moms in trouble

The group Still She Rises seeks to address criminalization and incarceration of women in Oklahoma, focusing on helping indigent mothers in northern Tulsa, a historically impoverished and underresourced community. Still She Rises began taking clients in January 2017 as the first pro bono law office in the country specifically dedicated to representing mothers involved in the criminal justice system.

Oct 1, 2018 1:45 AM CDT

Are free speech and academic freedom under assault at colleges and universities?

Many see the case of Teresa Buchanan at Louisiana State University as emblematic of the precarious state of academic freedom for college and university professors. Others view the case as an example of the perils of applying a categorical rule to limit professorial speech.

Oct 1, 2018 1:40 AM CDT

Candy and snack companies sued for packages with empty space instead of extra product

Federal and state slack-fill lawsuits charge that companies cheat shoppers with deceptively large packages.

Sep 1, 2018 2:35 AM CDT

How a rural murder case could return nearly half the state of Oklahoma to tribal control

Patrick Murphy doesn’t deny participating in the murder and mutilation of George Jacobs in 1999.

But it’s possible that his conviction doesn’t count. As Murphy argued in a habeas appeal to the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Denver, he’s a member of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, as was Jacobs, and the murder took place on land that was part of the tribe’s reservation as defined by an 1866 treaty.

Sep 1, 2018 2:20 AM CDT

Youth tackle football head injuries

A class action suit against the Pop Warner youth football league on safety concerns stands to be the first lawsuit to go to trial.

Aug 1, 2018 2:40 AM CDT

Split over hair: Proponents of deregulation seek to untangle laws on hair braiding

Carefully layering one tiny strand of hair over another, Tameka Stigers has spent years honing her talent for African-inspired, natural hair braiding. The style she currently specializes in, delicate little twists trademarked as Sisterlocks, involves a process that can take up to 12 hours and relies on patiently working on…

Aug 1, 2018 2:35 AM CDT