Legal
Legal issues in the correctional system encompass various topics, including inmate rights, staff conduct, and compliance with state and federal laws. This directory offers articles and resources on the legal aspects of correctional facility operations, helping staff stay informed about the regulations and policies that govern their work. Understanding legal responsibilities is essential for minimizing liability and ensuring facilities operate within the law. For more information, explore our section on Corrections Policies.
Ralph Leroy Menzies, convicted of a 1986 murder, was days away from execution when the court intervened
Gov. Gavin Newsom said many offenders had faced childhood trauma and mental health struggles that shaped their crimes
A national lack of prison climate control is testing Eighth Amendment protections and correctional workforce resilience
The Fountain Correctional Facility inmate says he was intentionally housed in a “bug and spider-infested area” and seeks $2 million in damages
The Florida attorney general had warned Orange County officials of removal if they failed to support immigration enforcement
Matthew Millar was found not guilty of second-degree murder in the 2022 death of Jason Rothe at the Secure Psychiatric Unit in Concord
Edward Zakrzewski’s execution is the ninth in 2025 — more than any other state and the most Florida has carried out in a year since 1976
Auditors say nine staff remained on paid leave up to 3.5 years beyond limits set by state regulations and contracts
Federal charges allege Walker County Jail officers deprived Tony Mitchell and others of basic rights and used an inmate enforcer to assault detainees
Albert Booze pleaded guilty to voluntary manslaughter after using Deputy Christopher Knight’s TASER and a knife in a 2021 fatal confrontation at Bibb County Jail
Investigators say the La Plata County commander accessed sensitive jail videos more than 3,000 times and looked up inmates and colleagues on social media
A judge called the use of unverified AI-generated citations “recklessness in the extreme” in a federal prison lawsuit
The former congressman is serving time at FCI Fairton’s minimum security camp after pleading guilty to wire fraud and identity theft
John Menendez walked up to an officer sitting in his patrol car and confessed shortly after the shootings, telling the officer to “just arrest me, bro”
Investigations by state police into employee misconduct exposed a culture at Snake River Correctional Institution that enabled abuse and harassment
“There’s a video of these detainees running out of the jail in the middle of the night. They were not heading to court hearings,” Attorney General Liz Murrill said
Officials say the “extraordinary step” is necessary because the county has failed to comply with a court order requiring sweeping reforms.
If they know why Kohberger did it, investigators haven’t said so publicly; it is also not clear why he spared two roommates who were home at the time
People who are incarcerated in the state’s prisons currently receive three free, 15-minute phone calls a week
“These warnings came from inmates and were provided directly to multiple GDC officials, including during official investigations,” the complaint states
Jared Borgesto Murray used contraband phones and co-conspirators to defraud Lowe’s while incarcerated in a Florida prison
The settlement follows allegations that Ramsey County failed to act on prior reports of sexual abuse by private inmate transport contractors
The court found that over-the-counter medication did not cause Robert McCauley’s positive methamphetamine test and upheld his termination under the state’s zero-tolerance drug policy
The incidents detailed in the lawsuit failed to possess the “similarity and specificity” required to establish a de facto policy of letting drugs into the jail
The ACLU is only challenging the ban on gender-affirming medication, not the portion of the law that outlaws department funding of gender-reassignment surgeries
Najee Jackson tried to bypass security by removing layers of clothing, but a search of his vest exposed the hidden contraband
Seth L. Davis, 20, was sentenced to a deferred judgment, community service and anger management for an assault at Centennial Correctional Facility
The lawsuit hit during an ongoing Department of Justice investigation that began in February 2023 after a spate of 18 inmate deaths in county jails in 2022
Flores argues that juror bias and improper witness testimony denied him a fair trial in the 1996 case
The We Will Act Act law lets corrections officers and police use legal means — including jamming and hacking — to neutralize drones near prisons and other protected areas
Mark Holdren, 41, was sentenced to 20 years in prison and Johnathan Walters, 33, was sentenced to 21 years in prison for the assault in the Southern Regional Jail
The bills would allow current COs to buy into the Michigan State Police hybrid plan with retroactive credit
Acquitted of sex trafficking and racketeering, Sean “Diddy” Combs remains jailed at MDC Brooklyn while awaiting sentencing for prostitution-related charges
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