• Supreme Court to decide liability of government attorneys for wrongful convictions

United States Supreme Court Action

• Outlook for the 2008-2009 Term

Federal and State Decisions

• Arrest, Search and Seizure Issues: search warrant for pornography; typographical errors; incorporating affidavit; collective knowledge doctrine; probationers; confidential informer tips; reliability; security perimeter of warrant execution; automobile search; 911 calls; emergency doctrine; third party consent to search
• Interrogation Issues: what is custody; what is interrogation; offer of leniency; hospital doctor; threats about girlfriend; coercion; waiver; DVD evidence; effect of drug and alcohol use; use of inculpatory video to obtain confession; deliberate withholding of warnings; expert psychological testimony on false confessions
• Police Trial Issues: mixing police “fact” and “expert” testimony on drugs; coaching police witness; police expert testimony on weapons
• Civil Liability/Personnel Law Issues: liability for strip searches of pretrial detainees; good faith defense; harassment of officer by fellow officers—supervisory liability; internal investigations; “anti-huddling” policy; police officers’ right to counsel; police chief firing—municipal liability; employment rights of municipal attorneys

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