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.
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”
Democratic lawmakers are abandoning a bid to remove Nevada inmates from private prisons after pushback from COs
Nebraska’s corrections department was only able to buy potassium chloride in 2015 because one of its U.S. distributors made a mistake
The state’s already compromised plan to execute eight men by the end of the month fell apart further Friday
The Missouri DOC has refused to disclose who supplies it with pentobarbital, saying suppliers’ identities are shielded as part of its “execution team”
Bruce Ward and Don Davis’ attorneys say they were denied access to independent mental health experts in their cases
A prosecutor concluded evidence backed Jack McCullough’s alibi that he had been 40 miles away when Maria Ridulph disappeared nearly 60 years ago
The bill requires county jails to give inmates feminine hygiene products for free
State Attorney Aramis Ayala filed a motion with the Florida Supreme Court, asking the court to determine who has authority over the cases
Alabama was the last state in the country to allow judges to override a jury when sentencing capital murder cases
American Bar Association President Linda Klein urged the governor to modify the execution schedule to allow for adequate time between executions
The conservatives say executing a man who might be innocent would “leave a terrible stain on Virginia and our justice system”
The Virginia Council of Churches and two state lawmakers are urging Virginia’s governor to halt the planned execution of Ivan Teleguz
An Ohio man set for trial this week for an arson fire that killed a girl he allegedly raped and her grandparents jumped to his death from a fourth-floor balcony at a courthouse
Judge Kristine Baker must rule whether the state’s plan to execute seven prisoners in 11 days would violate their rights to meaningful counsel and access to the courts
Ivan Teleguz maintains his innocence, and since he was put on death row, two key prosecution witnesses have recanted
With one dissenting vote, the court ordered the state to hold off putting Paul David Storey to death until the trial court can review whether he received a fair trial
The legislation was sparked by a decision last month by the DOC to privatize the jobs of 124 union nurses working in state prisons
If Tiffany Li does go on the lam, the court can confiscate the property and cash
Gov. Susana Martinez said the bill would have eliminated the flexibility COs need to control potentially violent criminals or prevent them from harming other inmates
The judge rejected stay requests from five other inmates
On Feb. 10, Republican Ohio Gov. John Kasich delayed eight executions to allow time for the appeals court arguments
Alabama currently gives death row inmates the choice between the electric chair and lethal injection
The corrections department has struggled to fill open positions and had nearly 150 officer vacancies as of March 31
The board said the governor should spare Jason McGehee’s life, but did not offer a reason for the recommendation
As more mentally ill people cycle into jails, it’s not uncommon for counties to hold inmates beyond the 30 days the state has to file its treatment plan
Until now, Texas was among a declining number of states that refused to provide kosher meals to prison inmates, citing the cost
Alabama is the only state that allows a judge to override a jury’s recommendation when sentencing capital murder cases
Since SCOTUS reauthorized the use of the death penalty in 1976, only Texas has killed eight inmates in a month, doing it twice in 1997
Nothing is set in stone, but the Texas prison system soon could close several facilities to reduce expenses as state agencies face budget cuts over the next two years
The new rules direct supervisors “to stay clear of even the appearance of impropriety, coercion or conflict of interest” in such situations
