Culture & Justice
Where the rulings meet the rest of us.
Inyo County v. Paiute-Shoshone: When a Tribe's Sovereignty Met a County's Subpoena
The 2003 Supreme Court decision that tested the boundaries of tribal sovereign immunity against state investigative power — argued by John D. Kirby.
Qualified Immunity: The Refinement That Never Happened — and Why It Still Matters
Three decades ago, a Cornell law student proposed a functional test for qualified immunity. The Supreme Court still hasn't adopted it. The lower courts are starting to.
The Advisory Guidelines at Twenty: Has Booker Delivered on Its Promise?
Two decades after the Supreme Court made the Federal Sentencing Guidelines advisory, we examine whether sentencing discretion has been restored — or just rearranged.
After Carpenter: The Fourth Amendment in the Age of Involuntary Surveillance
The Supreme Court's 2018 cell-site decision was a watershed. But seven years later, lower courts are still drawing the boundaries — and defendants are still waiting for clarity.
The Last Train: Understanding Section 2255 and Federal Collateral Review
For a federal prisoner, the § 2255 motion is the last meaningful opportunity to correct a constitutional error. Here is how the procedural architecture actually works.
NACDL Seeks Changes to Federal Prison Regulations: District Court Rejects Legal Challenge
NACDL Seeks Changes to Federal Prison Regulations: District Court Rejects Legal Challenge A federal district court has dismissed a legal challenge from the National Association of Criminal Defense La
18 U.S.C. § 1348: How Federal Securities Fraud Is Charged — and What the Ostin Indictment Shows
How federal securities fraud is charged under 18 U.S.C. § 1348 — and what the United States v. Yan Zhao and Lai Kui Sen indictment shows about the statute in practice.
Nevada Supreme Court Affirms Richt Murder Conviction in Combined Jury Trial and Guilty Plea Case
Nevada Supreme Court Affirms Richt Murder Conviction in Combined Jury Trial and Guilty Plea Case The Nevada Supreme Court on April 30, 2026, affirmed the conviction of Jesce Paul Richt for murder wit