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Articles by Christopher Zoukis

Colorado Supreme Court Affirms Double Enhancement for Assault of Prison Guard

by Christopher Zoukis

The Colorado Supreme Court has upheld a trial court's decision to sentence a prisoner to a consecutive term for assaulting a prison guard and to enhance the sentence because it was committed by a prisoner in custody.

Curtis Gordon Adams was found guilty of second degree assault ...

Arizona Supreme Court Clarifies Proper Standard for Reviewing Search of a Probationer's Home

by Christopher Zoukis

The Arizona Supreme Court has cleared up confusion in the state about the amount of suspicion required to legally search a probationer's home without a warrant.

Christian Adair was on probation for two felony convictions for solicitation to possess crack cocaine for sale. His probation conditions required ...

Eleventh Circuit Slams Douglas County, Georgia Sheriff's Office for Retaliation Against Whistle-Blower

by Christopher Zoukis

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has issued a stinging opinion in which it firmly rebukes the retaliatory actions of the Douglas County, Georgia Sheriff's Office.

Derrick Bailey, an African-American police officer with 17 years of law-enforcement experience, was hired by the City ...

California Appeals Court Reverses Termination of Parental Rights for Indian Child Welfare Act Notice Violation

by Christopher Zoukis

The California Court of Appeal for the First Appellate District has reversed a lower court's order terminating the parental rights of two imprisoned parents due to a failure to comply with the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978.

The children, O.C., age two, and M.C., age four, ...

Seventh Circuit Passes on Opportunity to Weigh in on Police Use of Cell-Site Simulators

by Christopher Zoukis

The United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit has refused to remand a case for further fact-finding about the government's use of cell-site simulators during investigations.

Damian Patrick was wanted for violating parole. In an effort to locate him, Milwaukee police obtained a search warrant ...

Prison Cannot Restrict Legal Visits by a Prisoner's Family Member/Attorney

by Christopher Zoukis

Michigan Department of Corrections Rule 607, which mandated that an attorney who is also a family member of a prisoner could not have legal visits with the prisoners, has been ruled unconstitutional.

The Rule was struck down by a federal court after prisoner John Vincent, Jr. (prisoner ...

City of New York Settles Police Beating Case for $614,500

by Christopher Zoukis

The City of New York and two NYPD officers have settled a lawsuit alleging multiple beatings at the hands of officers.

Jateik Reed, William Reid and Trevor Nigel alleged that they were improperly stopped and frisked outside their home in January 2012. During the stop and frisk, ...

Maryland Court of Special Appeals Upholds $200,000 Award for Police Shooting of Dog

by Christopher Zoukis

The Maryland Court of Special Appeals has affirmed a damages award against a Franklin County Sheriff Deputy who shot a family dog while attempting to serve an arrest warrant.

The deputy, Timothy Brooks, went to the house of Roger and Sandra Jenkins in order to arrest their ...

Second Circuit Rules Against American Civil Liberties Union on Drone Strike FOIA Request

by Christopher Zoukis

The United States Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has denied a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request in which the American Civil Liberties Union requested documents from several government agencies relating to the use of lethal drone strikes.

The requests were initially made by the ...

Media Companies Denied Damages and Fees in Public Records Litigation

by Christopher Zoukis

Five media companies, including The Associated Press, were denied statutory damages and attorney's fees in an unsuccessful public records request filed in Cincinnati, Ohio. The suit, filed over a body-camera video from a police shooting, was denied by the trial court. The Ohio Supreme Court affirmed the ...