The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit has affirmed the denial of federal habeas corpus relief to Brenda Andrew, convicted and sentenced to death for the first-degree murder of her husband, Rob Andrew. The court’s decision centered on Ms. Andrew’s sole remaining claim: that the introduction of evidence…
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Court Upholds Sentence in Fatal Shooting: Reckless Assault Qualifies as “Crime of Violence”
The Tennessee Court of Criminal Appeals has affirmed the convictions and sentencing of Keion Lamonte Jemison, who was convicted in connection with the 2022 shooting death of Danny Dixson, Jr. The central issue on appeal was whether Jemison’s prior conviction for “reckless aggravated assault” qualified as a “crime of violence,”…
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Iowa Supreme Court Strikes Down Plea Deals Requiring Costs on Dismissed Charges
The Iowa Supreme Court has ruled that district courts lack the statutory authority to order defendants to pay costs associated with criminal charges that are ultimately dismissed as part of a plea agreement, even if the defendant explicitly agrees to this condition. In a significant ruling that impacts criminal plea…
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Idaho Supreme Court Upholds State Law Governing Medical Debt Collection Against Constitutional Attack
The Idaho Supreme Court has delivered a major ruling affirming the constitutionality of the Idaho Patient Act (IPA), a state law designed to regulate how healthcare providers collect debts from patients. The decision sides against Ridgeline Medical, LLC, which had challenged the law on multiple grounds, including violations of the…
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Sixth Circuit Upholds Denial of Death Row Inmate’s Habeas Petition
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has affirmed the denial of a federal habeas corpus petition filed by Donald Herb Johnson, a Kentucky inmate sentenced to death for a brutal murder committed over three decades ago. The court found that Johnson failed to meet the stringent standards…
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Court Orders Resentencing After Judge’s Prior Role Creates Appearance of Bias
The Pennsylvania Superior Court has vacated the sentences of Bryan Robert Freeman and David Jonathan Freeman, ordering that they be resentenced by a different judge. The appeals court found that the trial judge, the Honorable Douglas G. Reichley, should have recused himself from the resentencing proceedings because of his prior…
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Ferry Workers Lose Bid to Block Vaccine Mandate in First Circuit Ruling
* Eleven current and former employees of the Woods Hole, Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket Steamship Authority (the “Authority”) have lost their latest attempt to block the company’s COVID-19 vaccination policy. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit affirmed the district court’s decision to deny a preliminary injunction, concluding…
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GAO Wins Big: Court Rules Legislative Watchdog Is Immune from FOIA Requests
A federal court in Washington D.C. has sided with the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO), ruling that the agency is not subject to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA). America First Legal Foundation (America First) sued the GAO, an investigative arm of Congress, seeking public disclosure of its records under…
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Eighth Circuit Boots USCIS on Jurisdiction, Blocks Review of Asylum Seeker’s Status Denial
The Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals has handed a significant win to the federal government in an immigration case, ruling that a district court overstepped its authority by reviewing the denial of an asylum seeker’s application to become a lawful permanent resident. The appellate court found that Congress intentionally barred…
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Court Rules Trump Can’t Force Citizenship Proof for Mail-In Registrations
A federal judge has ruled that the Trump administration’s effort to require documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for mail-in voter registration applications cannot be enforced, finding key portions of the president’s election-related executive order unconstitutional and beyond presidential authority. U.S. District Judge John H. Chun of the Western District of…