More from this issue:

1. Consequences of California’s Realignment Initiative, by Christopher Petrella
2. Mandamus Petition May Constitute Prison Conditions Litigation in Pennsylvania, by David Reutter
3. Seventh Circuit: Jail Social Worker Ignored Detainee’s Suicide Risk
4. Nebraska County Attorney’s Conviction Reversed for Theft from Pretrial Diversion Program, by David Reutter
5. For Sale: New York Lakefront Property with Garage, Pig Farm and 736 Prison Cells
6. Ohio Community Corrections Program Hires Former Prisoners to Work at Supermax
7. Prison Officials Praise Industry Programs Despite Downsides, by David Reutter
8. Florida Guards Sentenced in Bribery Scheme
9. D.C. Circuit Reinstates Prisoner’s FOIA Suit, by Derek Gilna
10. Cook County Detainee’s Suit Alleging Deliberate Indifference to Safety Survives Summary Judgment, by David Reutter
11. CCA Guard Killed During Riot was on Prisoners’ “Hit List”, by Matthew Clarke
12. Amount of Drugs a Factor for Departure Sentence in Kansas Prison Contraband Conviction, by David Reutter
13. Bureau of Prisons Mistakenly Served Meat Intended as Pet Food, by Derek Gilna
14. European Court of Human Rights Ruling Rebukes U.S. Prison System, by Derek Gilna
15. DOJ Intervenes in Class-action Suit Challenging New Orleans Jail Conditions; Consent Judgment Entered, by David Reutter
16. 5.85 Million People Disenfranchised in Supposedly Democratic America, by David Reutter
17. Arkansas Jail Prisoner Can Proceed on Failure to Protect Claim Against Guard, by David Reutter
18. Washington Appellate Court Addresses Right to Public Hearings in Civil Cases, by Mark Wilson
19. California: Lack of Insight Cannot be Inferred when Prisoner Accepts Responsibility for Crime and Expresses Genuine Remorse, by Michael Brodheim
20. Second Circuit: RLUIPA Disallows Individual Capacity Suits, by David Reutter
21. Ninth Circuit: Heck Allows § 1983 Parole Condition Challenges, by Mark Wilson
22. Oregon Garnishment Exemption Protects Funds in Prisoners’ Accounts, by Mark Wilson
23. California’s Lethal Injection Protocol Deemed Invalid by State Court, by Michael Brodheim
24. Utah Prisoner Awarded $200 for Violation of Religious Rights
25. Seventh Circuit: Atheism Considered a Religion; Survey of Prisoner Interest Required, by Mark Wilson
26. Scared Straight Programs Remain Popular Among Parents Despite Warnings, by Elly Yu
27. U.S. Citizens without Remedy in Military Torture Case, by Derek Gilna
28. Ex-football Star Exonerated a Decade after Rape Conviction
29. Despite Reforms, Juvenile Offenders in Texas Remain Endangered, by Matthew Clarke
30. Jails Face Backlash, Class-action Lawsuits Over Debit Card Fees, by Matthew Clarke
31. Lawsuits Challenge Conditions at Tennessee Jail; Five Charged in Bribery and Smuggling Scheme
32. Are We Really Witnessing the End of Mass Incarceration?, by James Kilgore
33. Florida Prisoner Awarded $1.2 Million for Burn Injuries
34. From the Editor, by Paul Wright
35. Ninth Circuit Revives Prison Trust Account Seizure Claim; Disputed Ownership Requires Due Process Protections
36. News in Brief

More from David Reutter:

• Sixth Circuit Announces State-Law Exceptions to Appeal Deadlines Preserve “Pending” Status Under AEDPA, Holding Belated-Appeal Procedures Toll Federal Habeas Limitations Period, April 1, 2026
• Florida Supreme Court Announces Rule 3.170(f)’s Good-Cause Plea-Withdrawal Standard Does Not Apply at Post-Appeal Resentencing, April 1, 2026
• Colorado Supreme Court Announces Defendant Must Be Competent Before Undergoing Mental-Condition Examination Under § 16-8-107(3)(b), April 1, 2026
• California Court of Appeal Announces Plea Agreements Cannot Bar § 1172.1 Resentencing, Holds Merit-Based Denial of Petition Is Appealable, April 1, 2026
• Georgia Supreme Court Clarifies That Failure to Object to Ineligible Juror Does Not Constitute Waiver Unless Party Knew or Could Have Discovered Ineligibility Through Ordinary Diligence, April 1, 2026
• Washington State Guard’s Conviction Affirmed in Self-Inflicted Gunshot Wound Scheme, March 1, 2026
• Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Holds Motion Judge Abused Discretion by Denying Evidentiary Hearing on IAC Claim Where Plea Counsel’s Affidavit Was Not Inherently Inconsistent With Colloquy Statements Regarding Immigration Advice, March 1, 2026
• Washington Supreme Court Clarifies Double Jeopardy Analysis for Multiple Assault Convictions, Holding That Assaultive Acts Occurring Over Short Time Period in Same Location Without Intervening Events Constitute Single Course of Conduct, March 1, 2026
• New Jersey Supreme Court Reverses Drug Convictions Under Cumulative Error Doctrine, Holding Combined Effect of Improper References to Television Series, Gun Violence, and Search Warrants Deprived Defendant of Fair Trial, March 1, 2026
• New York Court of Appeals Announces Coercive Police Tactics Compelling Suspect to Exit Home Constitute “Constructive Entry” Violating Payton, Holds Attenuation Analysis Applies to Third-Party Consent, March 1, 2026

More from these topics:

• Oregon Supreme Court Announces Trial Courts Must Give Complete Oral Final Jury Instructions at Conclusion of Trial, Preliminary Instructions Cannot Substitute for the ORCP 59 B Charge, May 1, 2026. Jury Instructions, Jury Instructions in Jury Room, Grounds for Relief, Denial of Due Process, Right to Testify/Remain Silent.
• California Appeals Court Rules in Favor of Ripped Off Prisoner, Feb. 1, 2026. Attorney Misconduct, Court Appearances, Trials, Abuse of Discretion Standard, Access To Courts.
• New York State Moves to Dismiss Hundreds of Prison Sexual Assault Lawsuits, Feb. 1, 2026. Staff-Prisoner Assault, DOC/BOP misconduct, Prosecutor/Attorney General Misconduct, Authority and Jurisdiction, Access To Courts.
• Aphantasia: Why Truthful Witnesses Can Sound Like Liars, Jan. 1, 2026. Jury Instructions, False Statements/Perjury, Self-Authentication, Voir Dire, Evidence - Integrity/Reliability of, Eyewitness Identification, Character/Reputation/Propensity.
• New York City Mayor’s Order Opening Rikers Island to ICE Declared Illegal, Jan. 1, 2026. Government Misconduct, Prosecutor/Attorney General Misconduct, Injunctions, Deportation/Removal/Exclusion, Enforcement of Immigration Laws.
• Utah Supreme Court Announces Framework for Analyzing Combined Brady and Napue Violations, Affirms Postconviction Relief in Capital Murder Case, Jan. 1, 2026. Police Misconduct, Prosecutor/Attorney General Misconduct, Perjury/Perjured Testimony, Constructive/Imputed/Presumed knowledge, Brady/Giglio/Jencks Act Issues.
• Ninth Circuit Grants Equitable Tolling Under AEDPA Where Attorney Abandoned Prisoner by Failing to Communicate for Nine Months and Prison Officials Delayed Processing Filing Documents, Dec. 15, 2025. Attorney Misconduct, Legal Materials, Law Library Access/Adequacy, Limitations, AEDPA.
• California Supreme Court Announces Pre-2009 Provocative Act Murder Convictions Are Not Categorically Ineligible for Resentencing Under § 1172.6, Dec. 15, 2025. Jury Instructions, Retroactivity, Murder/Felony Murder, Accessories and Accomplices.
• New Jersey Breaks Ground on New $330 Million Women’s Prison After Raid at Old Facility, Dec. 1, 2025. Staff-Prisoner Assault, Guard Misconduct, Prosecutor/Attorney General Misconduct, Guard Brutality/Beatings, Prison Rape Elimination Act.
• Third Circuit: Where Prosecutor “Flooded” Jury Trial With Evidence of Defendant’s Prior Bad Acts, Counsel Was Constitutionally Ineffective in Not Seeking Contemporaneous Limiting Instructions and Not Objecting When Evidence Went Beyond Limited Purpose –, Oct. 15, 2025. Jury Instructions, Strickland Standard, Failure to Preserve Challenge, Motive/Opportunity/Intent/Identity Evidence, Bad Acts Evidence.