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.
Correctional officers said that Patrick Odale acted erratically and growled before they used pepper spray and restraint; Odale’s death was ruled a homicide
Richard Jordan abducted and fatally shot Edwina Marter before demanding $25,000 from her husband, leading to nearly 50 years of court appeals and legal challenges
Supreme Court
The ruling allows Ruben Gutierrez to seek DNA testing he says could prove he was not responsible for the 1998 stabbing death
SCOTUS rejected an appeal from death row inmate Bill Kuenzel who claims evidence withheld by prosecutors entitled him to a new court hearing
Two former sailors whose rape and murder convictions were tossed are petitioning the Va. governor for full exonerations
Danial Williams and Joseph Dick are two of the so-called “Norfolk Four” — who claimed they were wrongfully convicted of the 1997 rape and murder of Michelle Moore-Bosko
Lawyers argued that Viktor Bout was unfairly prosecuted because the man he was conspiring with in a weapons plot was working for the U.S. government all along
The justices did not comment Monday in turning away the appeal from Bill Kuenzel, convicted of killing a convenience store clerk in 1987
The inmates were convicted for crimes they committed before they turned 18
Four Kansas Supreme Court justices facing a campaign to oust them say the court has decided capital murder cases on legal issues while avoiding politics and emotion
The figure is higher than the number commuted by the previous 11 presidents combined, and the White House said more commutations were coming
The committee said the age group has the greatest potential to “grow out of crime”
With polls showing voters poised to abolish the death penalty in just two weeks, the state COs’ union is underwriting a major drive to save capital punishment
The longtime sheriff of metropolitan Phoenix has been charged with criminal contempt-of-court for ignoring a judge’s order in a racial-profiling case
A reporter suing over Missouri’s refusal to allow him to witness an execution isn’t constitutionally guaranteed a right to see someone put to death, the state argued
A former inmate says many inmates are unaware of their voting rights, even after officials sent letters to Ala. sheriffs informing them about the voting laws
Bradley Jones went to the clerk’s office to get a marriage license, but was denied due to a rule that both parties to a marriage must apply for a license in person
There were almost 4,200 violent incidents reported in Pa.’s state prisons over a 15-month audited period, including nearly 1,000 assaults on COs
In the long term, the hope is that all providers will adopt a common methodology, providing services that respond to each individual’s risk level and unique needs
Ariz. said it was eliminating its use of midazolam after its supply expired and another supplier couldn’t be found.
Arnold Ray Jones is the only inmate so far to decline President Obama’s offer of clemency
The DA has conceded that a judge resentencing “juvenile lifers” may impose a minimum sentence lower than the 35 years that the office has been offering in such cases
Las Vegas became the first Nev. municipality to eliminate the box found on job applications that potential employees must check to indicate they have criminal records
Know your legal options when hate speech or threats are posted on your social feeds
The court struck down a newly enacted law allowing a defendant to be sentenced to death as long as 10 out of 12 jurors recommend it
The court ruled the supplier of the drugs can be kept secret, reversing its own earlier ruling that the supplier must be revealed
The agenda focuses on keeping repeat offenders in NM behind bars longer, rather than having them arrested and released to commit new crimes
The DOJ warns the state could face a lawsuit if violations are found and the state doesn’t work to correct them
Five days after his arrival, a 73-year-old inmate killed his cellmate at the Santa Rita Jail with his bare hands
Felony cases have spiked, and now the Hobbs Public Defender says it won’t accept any more clients because it does not have the resources to adequately represent them
Hundreds of Ark. inmates and parolees are participating in a three-year federal pilot program that lets state and federal prisoners use financial aid to pay for college
A federal judge is poised to throw out the murder conviction of a John Floyd, who was convicted in the grisly stabbing of a newspaper employee during a sexual liaison
The Lubbock County Detention Center offers rehab and educational opportunities to reduce the number of inmates who reoffend upon release
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