Criminal Justice

DOJ investigating DA accused of shielding illegal immigrants

The Justice Department has announced it launched an investigation into Steve Descano, the Democratic prosecutor of Virginia’s largest county, regarding his office's plea bargaining, charging decisions and sentencing policies.

May 11, 2026 9:38 AM CDT

Judge who teared up during child abuse testimony does not warrant new trial, appeals court says

A Colorado judge who teared up during a child abuse victim’s testimony was not enough to warrant a new trial, an appeals court has ruled.

May 11, 2026 7:40 AM CDT

Gala shooting suspect seeks to disqualify DOJ officials

The man charged with trying to kill U.S. President Donald Trump during an attack at a gala in the nation’s capital last month is seeking to disqualify top Justice Department officials from being involved in his prosecution. Cole Tomas Allen said Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche and District of Columbia…

May 8, 2026 3:18 PM CDT

Former Willkie Farr & Gallagher counsel pleads guilty, agrees to cooperate in M&A insider trading case

A former Willkie Farr & Gallagher attorney has pleaded guilty and agreed to cooperate with the government in a multimillion-dollar mergers-and-acquisitions insider trading case.

May 8, 2026 11:01 AM CDT

US attorney’s office in DC gives prosecutors $5K bonuses

U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro in Washington, D.C., is giving out informal bonuses in the range of $5,000 to $7,000 to prosecutors, a tactic that some attorneys see as an attempt to prevent experienced prosecutors from leaving, according to story by Bloomberg Law.

May 8, 2026 9:27 AM CDT

Prosecutor suspended by state supreme court for artificial intelligence use in court docs

A Georgia prosecutor who repeatedly filed documents with artificial intelligence-generated citations that referenced cases that were wrong or fictitious during a murder trial has been suspended for six months from practicing before the Georgia Supreme Court.

May 7, 2026 10:27 AM CDT

Justice Department accuses lawyers of insider trading ring

BigLaw lawyers provided tips on scores of mergers as part of an insider trading ring involving tens of millions of dollars in illegal profits, according to a May 6 press release from the U.S. Department of Justice.

May 7, 2026 9:41 AM CDT

DOJ attorney referred for discipline over withheld info regarding detainee wanted for murder

After the U.S. Department of Homeland Security recently criticized a federal judge in Rhode Island for releasing a man described as a “violent criminal illegal alien,” the judge said she is referring an assistant U.S. attorney "for disciplinary proceedings" for not disclosing that the detainee was wanted in the Dominican Republic for murder charges.

May 6, 2026 2:57 PM CDT

Texas justice of the peace and teen allegedly get into physical fight at Whataburger

A Texas justice of the peace is under investigation after having a verbal exchange with several teenagers inside a 24-hour burger restaurant that later allegedly escalated into physical blows with one teen.

May 6, 2026 11:39 AM CDT

DOJ offers $25K signing bonuses to address lawyer shortage

The U.S. Department of Justice, faced with a lawyer staffing crisis after mass departures and firings, is trying to recruit legal talent and prevent current lawyers from leaving by offering signing and retention bonuses.

May 6, 2026 9:19 AM CDT

Taking dead relatives from graves, bringing them home is illegal, but this community (and prosecutor) understood

I decided to check out the HBO Max series The Curious Case of … and the title proved more than just a clever bit of alliteration; it got me thinking about how and why our legal system excuses some crimes over others.

May 6, 2026 8:51 AM CDT

Criminal defense lawyer allegedly punched in face after client gets maximum sentence for murder

A criminal defense lawyer has said he does not have direct knowledge of allegedly getting punched in the face by a client.

May 4, 2026 2:08 PM CDT

Attorney remains jailed for refusing to disclose anonymous plaintiffs in HOA lawsuit

A Florida attorney who was jailed for being in contempt during a legal dispute with his homeowner’s association was denied freedom by an appeals court.

May 4, 2026 12:44 PM CDT

Former jailhouse lawyer turned ‘real lawyer’ blocked from serving elected position

Calvin Duncan’s journey from being wrongfully convicted of murder to getting elected to serve as a criminal court clerk in Louisiana has been abruptly halted.

May 4, 2026 9:32 AM CDT

Longtime federal judge assigned to James Comey criminal case

A federal judge in North Carolina, who has more than two decades of experience on the federal bench, has been assigned the new criminal case charging former FBI Director James Comey with allegedly threatening to kill President Donald Trump.

Apr 30, 2026 10:33 AM CDT