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Criminal Practice
Criminal Practice Law360 provides timely news and analysis on criminal law and enforcement across U.S. jurisdictions. Coverage includes major prosecutions, sentencing trends, constitutional challenges, legislative developments, and key rulings impacting prosecutors, defense attorneys, and the courts.
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Latest News in Criminal Practice
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September 26, 2025
Oysters Not Covered By Drug Forfeiture Law, Court Rules
Massachusetts' intermediate appellate court on Friday found that the commonwealth may not apply the same forfeiture laws used for seized drugs to 1,600 wild oysters, though it nonetheless upheld the taking of the allegedly ill-gotten mollusks.
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September 25, 2025
Rap Song Can't Be Used To Prove Rap Sheet, NY Court Says
A criminal defendant's rap song should not have been allowed as evidence that he enabled a murder, a New York state appeals court ruled, granting a new trial in a case that saw Brooklyn prosecutors put one of their own on the stand on a moment's notice as a slang expert.
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September 25, 2025
NY Court Vacates Guilty Plea Over Impossible Plea Agreement
A New York state appeals court on Thursday vacated a plea agreement after finding it contained a requirement that a defendant complete a substance abuse program despite not being eligible for enrollment.
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September 25, 2025
Pa. Justices Say Gov't Must Show Proof Of 'High-Crime Areas'
The Pennsylvania Supreme Court on Thursday ruled that police detention of a person based in part on their presence in a "high-crime area" must be supported by proof that the area is actually high in crime, but declined to create strict rules or tests to make that designation.
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September 25, 2025
Mich. High Court To Decide If Four Years Makes A Speedy Trial
The Michigan Supreme Court will review whether a man sentenced to up to 15 years for domestic violence was denied the right to a speedy trial due to a four-year wait between his arrest and his case going before a jury.
Areas of Coverage
- Influential appellate decisions in state supreme and federal circuit courts—especially those guiding trial strategy and evidentiary standards
- Developments in intermediate state appellate courts with potential to shape precedent.
- Federal, state, and local legislation or regulation impacting courts, prosecutors, and defenders.
- Developments from state attorneys general, including prosecutions, policy shifts, and personnel moves
- Criminal justice reform efforts and the impact on state and local prosecutions.
- Unique criminal cases at the trial court level, in state or federal court
- Civil appellate opinions affecting the criminal bar, such as rulings on qualified immunity.
- Innovations in criminal law education and defense training at law schools.
- Profiles of judges, prosecutors, defense attorneys and others impacting criminal law.
- Studies or reports on the work of state and local prosecutors or public defenders.
- AGENCIES
- State and local prosecutors’ offices
- Public defender offices
- DOJ’s Office of Professional Responsibility
- State bar associations and judicial conduct bodies
- POLICY & REGULATION
- Rules of Criminal Procedure in state and local courts
- Professional conduct standards for criminal attorneysDOJ’s Office of Professional Responsibility
- State legislative initiatives in criminal prosecutions and defense
- ENFORCEMENT
- Misconduct investigations and disciplinary actions involving prosecutors and defenders
- PROFILES
- Profiles of individual prosecutors, public defenders and private criminal defense attorneys
- Profiles of firms and public offices
Readership
- State and local prosecutors
- State and local public defenders
- Criminal defense attorneys in private practice
- Criminal justice reform advocates
- Law enforcement professionals
- Appellate specialists
- Legal academics and students
- Attorneys specializing in appeals of criminal cases
- Judges and court staff in the criminal courts
- Staff in state attorney generals offices
- Staff at the DOJ, working in the criminal division