How State Attorneys General Help the FBI Ensure Accurate Application of Firearm Prohibitors for the National Instant Criminal Background Check System
Every year, the FBI’s National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) conducts millions of background checks to determine whether a prospective transferee can legally receive a firearm from a federal firearms licensee (FFL). The system, administered by the FBI’s NICS Section, can only function at its peak with the support and contributions of each state…
Attorneys General Call on Congress to Support Funding for the Legal Services Corporation
Washington, D.C. — Today, the National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter to Congress to support beneficent funding for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). The LSC provides critical legal assistance to low-income Americans, helping families in need across the country. Nonprofit legal aid programs funded by the federal program provide services to millions…
AGs to Congress: Provide Funding for the Legal Services Corporation
The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) sent a letter to Congress to support beneficent funding for the Legal Services Corporation (LSC). The LSC provides critical legal assistance to low-income Americans, helping families in need across the country. Nonprofit legal aid programs funded by the federal program provide services to millions of Americans annually, reaching…
Bipartisan Coalition of Attorneys General Urges American Law Institute to Reject Amendments that Leave Victims of Sex Crimes Vulnerable, Put Children at Risk
Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) wrote a letter to the American Law Institute (ALI) urging them to reject proposed changes to Section 213 of the Model Penal Code (MPC) that would weaken the ability of states to prosecute sexual assault, abuse, exploitation, and trafficking crimes; jeopardize the safety of victims…
NAAG Challenges Efforts to Weaken Laws Against Human Trafficking & Sexual Abuse
The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) wrote a letter to the American Law Institute (ALI) urging them to reject proposed changes to Section 213 of the Model Penal Code (MPC) that would weaken the ability of states to prosecute sexual assault, abuse, exploitation, and trafficking crimes; jeopardize the safety of victims of these crimes;…
An Update on the Legal Landscape of Revenge Porn
Introduction As of 2020, approximately 223 million Americans used social media, with that number only continuing to rise into 2021.1 Approximately 84% of Americans aged 18-29 are users of social media.2 For the roughly 70% of Americans who currently use social media, checking their profile is a part of their daily routine.3 Moreover, an estimated…
Is a Closed-Ended Question Inherently a Leading Question?
Introduction There is significant confusion among attorneys and judges regarding whether closed-ended questions (questions that ask respondents to choose from a distinct set of pre-defined responses) are inherently leading. Most jurisdictions hold that closed-ended questions are not inherently leading, but in some jurisdictions the caselaw is either unsettled or unclear regarding this issue. Contributing to…
Subpoenaing Out of State Witnesses
Introduction Can a prosecutor in State A, who has brought charges against a defendant in a State A court, compel an important out-of-state witness, W, to leave State B to testify in the State A trial? If so, how? The answer is yes, by using the Uniform Act to Secure the Attendance of Witnesses from…
NAAG Submits Comment Letter on Beneficial Ownership Regulations
Our comments are consistent with the sense of Congress, which requires that regulations “to the greatest extent practicable… collect information in a form and manner that is reasonably designed to generate a database that is highly useful to… law enforcement agencies…” NDAA § 6402(8)(C).
Attorneys General Support Regulations for the Use and Disclosure of Beneficial Ownership Information
Washington, D.C. — The National Association of Attorneys General (NAAG) submitted comments to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), a bureau of the U.S. Department of Treasury, in response to its request for input regarding beneficial ownership information reporting and disclosure requirements. Earlier this year, the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA) was passed. The CTA requires…
