Louisiana’s new Act 526 (SB 523) requires courts to weigh a defendant’s documented history of domestic abuse, human trafficking, or sexual assault at sentencing, and opens earlier clemency for survivors serving life. Here is what defense counsel need to know before it takes effect August 1, 2026.
In Barrett v. United States, a unanimous Supreme Court held that one act violating both 18 U.S.C. 924(c) and 924(j) yields only one conviction. Here is what stacked federal gun charges look like after Barrett.
One Act, One Conviction: How Barrett v. United States Limits Stacked Federal Gun Charges Read Post »
The prosecutor offers a deal. Plead guilty, and the charge gets smaller, or the sentence gets shorter. It sounds like
Should You Take a Plea Deal in a Louisiana Felony Case? Read Post »
A second degree murder charge in Louisiana means the State is trying to put you in prison for the rest
Second Degree Murder in Louisiana: Charges, Sentencing, and How the Case Is Fought Read Post »
A DNA “match” feels like the end of your case. It isn’t. DNA evidence can be wrong, overstated, contaminated, or
How DNA Evidence Can Be Challenged in a Louisiana Criminal Case Read Post »
In Hunter v. United States, the Supreme Court ruled that federal appeal waivers are unenforceable when they would produce a miscarriage of justice. Here is what that means for defendants who signed away the right to appeal.
A former Colorado DNA analyst pleaded guilty to manipulating evidence in over 1,000 criminal cases. Her guilty plea reveals systemic failure at the laboratory, institutional negligence, and the profound destruction of liberty. When DNA evidence itself is compromised, the rule of law collapses.
When the Laboratory Burns Down: The Yvonne Woods Plea and the Collapse of Trust Read Post »
In Villarreal v. Texas, the Supreme Court will decide whether trial judges can restrict a testifying defendant’s ability to consult with counsel during trial recesses. The case raises critical Sixth Amendment questions about effective assistance of counsel versus trial judge discretion in managing witness testimony.
In Chatrie v. United States, the Supreme Court will decide whether law enforcement can use geofence warrants to identify all cell phone users in a location without violating the Fourth Amendment. These reverse searches cast a dragnet across areas and identify everyone nearby, raising critical privacy questions for criminal defense.
In State v. Jarvis Turner (March 6, 2026), the Louisiana Supreme Court held that when a defendant claims trial counsel prevented him from testifying, the claim is reviewed under Strickland v. Washington’s ineffective assistance framework, not as automatic structural error. Post-conviction counsel must now prove both deficient performance and prejudice to prevail.
