justice system news stories on Newser

China Denies Lawyer for Chen's Nephew

Kevin Spak — Fri, 18 May 2012 09:46:10 CDT

The Chinese government has denied Chen Kegui his choice of lawyers, saying he must use a pair of government-appointed attorneys in his "intentional homicide" trial. Chen was slapped with that charge because he brandished a knife on April 27 when authorities burst into his home after his uncle's escape . No...

Special Interests Control Our Judges

Matt Cantor — Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:59:05 CDT

It’s not just legislative and executive elections that are unfairly influenced by big money. America needs to wake up to the power of special interests in judicial elections, writes Adam Cohen in Time . A new study sees “big business, corporate lobbyists, and trial lawyers” spending cash to get the judges...

New on Mexican TV: Videotaped Confessions

Neal Colgrass — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 18:21:02 CDT

Watched any Mexican TV lately? You may have seen the common ritual of law enforcement officers parading a "perp" before the news media—but now you can also watch his full videotaped confession. Or what authorities claim is his confession. "This is for the authorities, who want to show they...

Maybe Bagram Will Be the New Gitmo

Emily Rauhala — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 07:14:27 CDT

President Obama's security team is for the first time writing guidelines on how to handle captured terror suspects—specifically on whether any will be allowed to be detained indefinitely without trial, the Los Angeles Times reports. Draft guidelines predict that will be necessary for a small number of detainees, with...

Italian Courts Face Growing Knox Backlash

Polly Davis Doig — Mon, 07 Dec 2009 08:32:13 CST

Amanda Knox has served just a few days as a murder convict, but she'll have another year under her belt before an appeal gets under way, and questions about the fairness of her trial continue to pour in, reports the Independent . The open flow of information between cops and journos,...

Burnt-Out Defenders Refuse New Cases

Wesley Oliver — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 14:56:45 CST

Public defenders are as overworked as hell, and they’re not going to take it anymore, the New York Times reports. Arguing that their hectic schedules result in scant attention for clients, government-appointed lawyers around the country are refusing new cases and suing to limit their workload. “The quality of public...

Supreme Court: It's a Dialog, Not an Isolated Oracle

Matt Cantor — Sun, 13 Jul 2008 05:00:00 CDT

Rather than boldly paving new roads, the Supreme Court functions largely as a bellwether of public opinion, cementing change “rather than propelling it,” writes Linda Greenhouse, looking back on some 30 years of reporting on the court for the New York Times . The justices don’t constitute a “remote oracle”--instead, they...

Mexico Overhauls Justice System

Peter Fearon — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 02:30:00 CDT

Sweeping reforms of Mexico's criminal justice system were signed into law by President Felipe Calderon yesterday. US-style public trials and presumption of innocence will replace Mexico's slow, closed-door system that proceeds almost exclusively through briefs, reports the Washington Post. The reforms also give investigators power to hold suspects 80 days...

Reagan's Influence on US Court System Lingers

Jonas Oransky — Mon, 12 May 2008 17:36:45 CDT

Ronald Reagan’s influence on American courts remains unprecedented, and his transformation of the nomination process is only part of the story. With sheer numbers and ideological consistency, Reagan created a legacy that will influence American justice well into the 21st century, and perhaps beyond, USA Today reports.