Category Archives: Criminal Justice

One of the primary issues in which Fawkes-Lee and Ryan are involved.

A Horrible Decision

On Monday, the Court said it was constitutionally okay to take a sample of “skin cells”. They might just as well take an arm or a leg, your heart, your brain, or your medical records. Continue reading

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Enhancing Minority Disproportionate Incarceration Rates In Iowa

A minority impact statement is a significant portion of a fiscal note prepared by the nonpartisan Fiscal Division of the Iowa Legislative Services Agency.  In cooperation with the Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning of the Department of Human … Continue reading

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Oral Arguments: Please Pardon the Pun

In an unusual move, the Solicitor General, Donald B. Verrilli, Jr., told the Supreme Court that he was not going to argue the case for the federal government because he believes the Third Circuit got it wrong. Continue reading

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Invasion of the Judicial and Legislative Branches

On Monday, July 16, Governor Terry Branstad issued a commutation to 38 of Iowa’s lifers.  That group of lifers consists of those felons who are serving a sentence of life without the possibility of parole for crimes they committed as … Continue reading

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Jumping Off Perfectly Good Bridges

Kids used to break legs and arms all the time. It was like wearing a plaque, a medal, or a trophy. Continue reading

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No Slam Dunk

Last September I wrote that the United States Supreme Court was about to hear oral arguments in a case called Florence v. Board of Chosen Freeholders.  As you’ll recall, this is what I had to say about it: Albert Florence … Continue reading

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