The MSA – 20 Years Later
With increased concerns over school security, public schools implementing state laws may find themselves running afoul of constitutional rights of students. This increasingly draws attorneys general into the fray.
Supreme Court Federal Habeas Opinions in the 2017 Term
Federal habeas law continues to be of significant interest to the Supreme Court. This article summarizes the Supreme Court’s decisions on habeas cases in the 2017 term.
Recent Powers and Duties Decisions
This article reports on the latest decisions across the country affecting the powers and duties of state attorneys general.
Ethics Corner: The Nation’s Prosecutors Uphold Their Sworn Oaths
Many law review articles insist that overzealous prosecutors, intentionally or negligently exceeding the scope of their legitimate authority. This article argues that there is virtually no empirical support for this proposition, and the evidence supports the conclusion that prosecutorial misconduct occurs with admirable infrequency.
Disaster Recovery: Spotlight on State Courts
The year-long presidential initiative for Attorney General Derek Schmidt has been a focus on innovative techniques that attorney general offices can use to serve their senior constituents. This article provides a road map as to how one state, the Oregon Department of Justice, is working to protect their citizens against elder fraud and abuse.
Ethics Corner: Prosecutors and PowerPoints
With courts embracing the use of modern technology during trials, prosecutors have turned to PowerPoints in closing arguments to summarize the evidence presented to the jury. The Ethics Corner summarizes cases where appellate courts found that prosecutors had committed professional misconduct in those presentations and gives practice points as to how prosecutors might use presentations ethically and effectively.
Protecting Veterans’ Access to Housing
Once the Washington Attorney General’s Office heard that landlords were turning veterans away from housing because they were using Veterans Affairs Supporting Housing vouchers to pay rent, the office’s Civil Rights Unit sent investigators out to determine the extent of the problem and ensure that such discriminatory conduct ceased. A new Washington law specifically prohibiting such discrimination gives the Civil Rights Unit the authority to insist that recalcitrant landlords come into compliance and end discriminatory practices.
Recent Powers and Duties Decisions
This article reports on the latest decisions across the country affecting the powers and duties of state and territory attorneys general.
How the Oregon Attorney General’s Office Tackles Elder Abuse
The year-long presidential initiative for Attorney General Derek Schmidt has been a focus on innovative techniques that attorney general offices can use to serve their senior constituents. This article provides a road map as to how one state, the Oregon Department of Justice, is working to protect their citizens against elder fraud and abuse.