News

A U.S. District Judge in the District of New Jersey has withdrawn an opinion after a letter for one of the attorneys pointed out the opinion contained "a series of errors," including nonexistent fake quotes and misstated case outcomes attributed to the parties (article available…

Federal judges have begun fielding requests from criminal defense lawyers to be taken off cases, or even have charges thrown out, after the judiciary ran out of money to pay certain attorneys who represent low-income defendants (article available here).

These panel attorneys, who are…

Ronald J. Tabak, a tireless criminal justice and civil rights advocate, died on July 22, 2025, at age 75. See also Death Penalty Information Center tribute and…

Federal judges in New Jersey invoked a its power to remove interim U.S. Attorney Alina Habba, installing her top assistant as…

Black man is arrested for filming in entryway to Denver police station and spends three days in jail. Yikes! There's a sign saying no videorecording is allowed in the station, but he didn't try to go past the sign and into the station. (A few days later, a white man films in the same place…

"Twenty-four years ago, [Virginia] decided that Appellant was a guilty man. From that moment, the Commonwealth has done everything in its power to ensure Appellant dies in prison, eschewing the Constitution, ethical strictures, and Appellant's own repeated and consistent assertions of factual…

Man arrested for robbery and destruction of property is released on his own recognizance. But before he can leave the courthouse, U.S. Marshals detain him on an "ICE hold." Man files a class action, arguing that the marshals acted outside their authority.…

The program that pays court-appointed private attorneys to represent indigent federal criminal defendants has run out of money, starting the clock on a painful three-month delay in paying these attorneys and their related service providers for constitutionally mandated legal work.…

Arapahoe County, Colo. social worker Robin Niceta (who's now in prison for lying in a…

As of the week of July 7, 2025, Criminal Justice Act (CJA) panel attorney funds have been depleted. Panel payments will be deferred until funds become available. Please continue to file, process, and approve CJA vouchers as normal during the payment deferrals so that payments can be disbursed as…