Legal System
Dallas Will Foot the Bill for Undocumented Immigrants' Attorneys
The Sixth Amendment does not guarantee representation in immigration court, so immigrants facing deportation rarely have lawyers.
What Exactly Is the FISA Court?
It runs by its own rules and its proceedings are kept secret, but we know the fundamentals of how the court was conceived and how it functions.
Judge Throws Out Guilty Verdict for Woman Who Laughed During Sessions' Confirmation Hearing
Chief Judge Robert Morin ruled that the prosecutors' argument was improper.
Should There Be Cameras in Courtrooms?
The only visual representation the public will get of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev’s trial is an artist's sketch. It turns out there's a case to be made for, and against, courtroom cameras.
In Search of an Impartial Jury
Mass media is just the latest challenge for courts in an ongoing quest for impartial jurors—a goal that might be nearly impossible to achieve.
The Emotions That Prosecutors Elicit to Make Jurors Vote Guilty
Jurors experiencing “moral outrage” will be more likely to convict, and changes in technology are making this a bigger factor.
The Limits of Memory for Witnesses of Crime
Using so much brainpower to make quick decisions during a crime keeps us from creating lasting memories.
The History of Public Phone Conversations
The NSA's eavesdropping and data-gathering may be unsettling, but it's only recently that we've begun to think of our telephone conversations as personal and private.
Imagine There's No Law; It's Easy If You Try
Law professor David Friedman offers a libertarian thought experiment in which the concept of law — i.e. rights enforcement — is determined by the marketplace, and not the political process.
Law Without (As Many) Lawyers
In a podcast conversation with law and economics professor Gillian Hadfield, she expounds on ways to bring more legal services to Americans without requiring vast new armies of expensive lawyers.
Eyewitness IDs Can Be Made Better
It's business as usual for many police agencies, even after bungled eyewitness procedures led to high-profile exonerations.
Legal Services Wanted; Lawyers Need Not Apply
Why a globalized U.S. economy requires new legal infrastructure devised and controlled by innovators (who will probably be something or someone other than law firms or lawyers).
New Conditions of Probation
In Texas, one county's experiment in evidence-based probation reform has cut recidivism and revocations, saved money and served as a model for other jurisdictions.
Pipe Wrench: Net Neutrality Decision Boxes in FCC
A good day in court for Internet providers may lead regulators to a nuclear option those providers dread.
Wonking Class Hero — The Exonerator
Self-taught private investigator Jim McCloskey has helped free more than three dozen people who were imprisoned for crimes they didn't commit.
Problem-Solving (and Award-Winning) Courts
The verdict is in: Center for Court Innovation honored with national nonprofit award.
A Most Uncivil Contempt
Most states have no limits on how long a witness or defendant can be held in civil contempt. Perhaps they should.
Grant All Americans Their Day in Court
Miller-McCune's experts offer solutions to problems that were under-discussed during the presidential campaign.
Nastier, Noisier, Costlier — and Better
Why letting judges speak out during political campaigns enhances democracy and serves justice.
Righting Wrongs by Writing Writs
A documentary looks at historic injustice in the Texas prison system — and comments on the habeas corpus battles of the war on terror.
Helping Kids Weather Divorce
Research into helping families cope with divorce is finally bearing fruit, but some governments continue funding unproven programs.