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Amateur Strip-Club Arrests: Probable Cause and Qualified Immunity

Description: This report discusses the Supreme Court case "District of Columbia v. Wesby" which addressed the question of what constituted probable cause for arrest and police officers qualified immunity from personal lawsuits against them for actions during the course of their duties.
Date: January 24, 2018
Creator: Doyle, Charles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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Murderous Schemes are not Violent Crimes?

Description: This report discusses the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit's decision in the case of "U.S. v. McCollum" which stated that conspiracy to murder was not a violent crime for federal sentencing purposes and discusses the background of the case and the prior case law which led to the decision.
Date: April 17, 2018
Creator: Doyle, Charles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

When Can You Be Convicted of a Crime That Is Not a Crime?

Description: This report discusses the case United States v. Melgar-Cabrera. A panel of the United States Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit (Tenth Circuit) recently upheld the murder conviction of the defendant who the court conceded had been "convicted of a crime that is not a crime."
Date: June 29, 2018
Creator: Doyle, Charles
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

The Posse Comitatus Act and Related Matters: A Sketch

Description: This report examines instances, as approved by Congress, where circumstances warrant a departure from the general rule of the Posse Comitatus Act, wherein the military is typically prevented from direct involvement in civilian affairs.
Date: November 6, 2018
Creator: Elsea, Jennifer K.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Do Courts Have Inherent Authority to Release Secret Grand Jury Materials?

Description: This report discusses the issue of releasing secret grand jury material. Although a long-established principle that has been deemed essential to the grand jury's functioning and independence is that matters occurring before it are to be kept secret, the Federal Rule of Criminal Procedure 6(e) establishes exceptions.
Date: October 5, 2018
Creator: Foster, Michael A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Judicial Fact-Finding and Criminal Sentencing: Current Practice and Potential Change

Description: This report provides an overview of criminal sentencing law by briefly describing the use of relevant conduct under the Guidelines and tracing the Supreme Court case law that has informed the practice, before addressing judicial commentary and recently proposed legislation regarding the use of acquitted or uncharged conduct at sentencing.
Date: August 24, 2018
Creator: Foster, Michael A.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Federal Support for Drug Courts: In Brief

Description: This report explains the concept of a "drug court,", how the term and programs have expanded to include wider meanings and serve additional subgroups, how the federal government supports drug courts, and research on the impact of drug courts on offenders and court systems. In addition, it briefly discusses how drug courts might provide an avenue for addressing the opioid epidemic and other emerging drug issues that Congress may consider.
Date: March 20, 2018
Creator: Sacco, Lisa N.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Mexico: Evolution of the Mérida Initiative, 2007-2019

Description: This report begins with a brief discussion of security challenges in Mexico and Mexico's security strategy. It then provides information on congressional funding and oversight of the Mérida Initiative, with details about each of the program's four pillars. The report concludes by raising policy issues that Congress may wish to consider.
Date: July 23, 2018
Creator: Seelke, Clare Ribando
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
open access

Trends in Bank Secrecy Act/Anti-Money Laundering Enforcement

Description: This report provides an overview of recent trends in the enforcement of the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA), the principal U.S. anti-money laundering law regulating financial institutions. The report begins by providing general background information on BSA penalties and enforcement. The report concludes by discussing three recent trends that commentators have observed in BSA enforcement: (1) an increase in the frequency with which BSA enforcement actions involve an assessment of money penalties, and an… more
Date: January 12, 2018
Creator: Sykes, Jay B.
Partner: UNT Libraries Government Documents Department
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