The UK Ministry of Justice is proposing to save £220 million (approximately $351 million) by paying lawyers so that they will receive more money if they plead their clients guilty early in their criminal case, rather than waiting longer or going to trial. According to the London Criminal Courts Solicitors Association, there are situations … Continue reading An Unfortunate Proposal to Encourage Plea Bargaining Early and Often
The Los Angeles Times published an article here about a pilot program in the federal courts in Southern California which allows a small number of defendants facing federal charges to complete sentences without prison time and, in some cases, to have their cases dismissed. It is unclear from the article what the intake procedure is … Continue reading Federal Problem Solving Courts
On December 2-5, 2013, there will be a “Veterans Treatment Court Conference” in Washington DC that is being advertised as “The nation’s first conference dedicated to Veterans Treatment Courts and justice-involved veterans.” According to the website: This inaugural conference is expected to draw over 1,000 attendees from across the nation! With over 75 sessions, … Continue reading Vet Court Conference in Washington DC
NPR ran this story today: Shutdown Showdown: Assessing Obama’s Negotiating Tactics
Following Andrea’s lead, I thought I would write about one of the books I read this summer: Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s autobiography, My Beloved World. Overall, the book is a good read and tells an engaging story of how Sotomayor went from being the daughter of Puerto Rican immigrants who had very little formal … Continue reading An interesting summer read and a lost opportunity
On Monday, Attorney General Eric Holder announced some fundamental changes in how the Department of Justice is going to address charging, prosecuting, and ultimately plea bargaining criminal cases in the federal system. Holder announced the “Smart on Crime” initiative during a speech to the ABA. From my reading, there are some key changes including: 1. A … Continue reading The end of incarceration generation?
From Friend of Indisputably, Richard Reuben (the University of Missouri-Columbia): The AALS Dispute Resolution Section this fall is starting a new a mentoring program for junior ADR scholars, and I want to invite you to participate as either a senior or junior scholar. This program will of course offer mentoring on scholarship, opening the door … Continue reading Exciting New Mentoring Program for Junior ADR Scholars
I hope the fact that I have now seen a second story about high schools using mediation and reducing violence and suspensions means that there is a serious trend in the United States and that we are changing how we treat high school students, particularly in poorer neighborhoods. This story from the Atlantic describes changes … Continue reading Another Good Story from High School
An interesting interview with Justice Kagan giving her perspective on collegiality on a contentious Court: here. The first ten minutes or so are Kagan’s views on how the Justices get along with each other. The rest of the interview is about some of the cases heard this term.
In the wake of George Zimmerman’s acquittal, I wonder why this case has not gotten any serious attention. The defendant, Marissa Alexander, was convicted of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon when she fired a warning shot towards the ceiling at her estranged husband, who she had a restraining order against. Ms. Alexander claimed that she … Continue reading One Case We Should be Talking About
