Criminal Law Commons^™

The Violence Against Women Act, Implicit Bias, And Judicial Training, Lorena Espino-Piepp

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The note argues that the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) must be amended to include implicit bias training for Family Court judges and staff to address the systemic barriers faced by undocumented Latina immigrant women in accessing justice. These women often face compounded discrimination based on race, ethnicity, and immigration status, which undermines their ability to obtain immigration relief through VAWA protections. The author contends that without such training, the judicial system perpetuates inequities, as judges and court personnel rely on stereotypes that disproportionately harm women of color.

What Kind Of Judge Is Brett Kavanaugh?, Elliott Ash, Daniel L. Chen

Cardozo Law Review de•novo

This article reports the results of a series of data analyses of how recent Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh compares to other potential Supreme Court nominees and current Supreme Court Justices in his judging style. The analyses reveal a number of ways in which Judge Kavanaugh differs systematically from his colleagues. First, Kavanaugh dissents and is dissented against along partisan lines. More than other Judges and Justices, Kavanaugh dissents at a higher rate during the lead-up to elections, suggesting that he feels personally invested in national politics. Far more often than his colleagues, he justifies his decisions with conservative doctrines, …

Capital-Sentencing Law And The New Conservative Court, Scott W. Howe

Cardozo Law Review de•novo

With the Supreme Court now dominated by a solidly conservative majority, recent, well-grounded hopes for prompt judicial abolition of the death penalty have vanished. Furthermore, existing Eighth Amendment doctrines that limit the death penalty could be in jeopardy. Historically, many advocates for abolition have criticized these doctrines. They claim that the Eighth Amendment prohibition on Cruel and Unusual Punishments requires “consistency” in capital selection and that current capital-sentencing doctrines do not satisfy—and sometimes conflict with— this requirement. However, these advocates failed to anticipate the need to defend these doctrines should judicial abolition become an impossibility and the rolling-back of current …

The Necessity Of The Good Person Prosecutor, Jessica A. Roth

Articles

In a 2001 essay, Professor Abbe Smith asked the question whether a good person—i.e., a person who is committed to social justice—can be a good prosecutor. Although she acknowledged some hope that the answer to her question could be “yes,” Professor Smith concluded that the answer then was “no”—in part because she saw individual prosecutors generally as having very little discretion to “temper the harsh reality of the criminal justice system.” In this Online Symposium revisiting Professor Smith’s question seventeen years later, my answer to her question is “yes”—a good person can be a good prosecutor.

A Legal Approach To Combating Terrorist Organization Funding Through The Counterfeit Market, Amanda Kusnierz

Cardozo International & Comparative Law Review

The note argues that counterfeiting has become a critical funding mechanism for terrorist organizations, particularly radical Islamic jihadist groups, due to its profitability and relative anonymity. Current legal frameworks, such as the Anti-Counterfeiting Trade Agreement (ACTA) and material support laws like section 2339B of the USA PATRIOT Act, are insufficient to address this threat effectively. The analysis highlights the need for stricter penalties, increased consumer awareness, and international cooperation to disrupt the financial networks supporting terrorism through counterfeiting.

"I'Ve Got My Mind Made Up": How Judicial Teleology In Cases Involving Biologically Based Evidence Violates Therapeutic Jurisprudence, Michael L. Perlin

Cardozo Journal of Equal Rights & Social Justice

The article critiques the teleological reasoning employed by judges in cases involving biologically-based evidence, particularly in mental disability law. It argues that judges often prioritize pre-determined outcomes over evidence, leading to decisions that neglect valid scientific data and violate the principles of therapeutic jurisprudence.

The Local Rules Revolution In Criminal Discovery, Daniel S. Mcconkie

Cardozo Law Review

Over the last few decades, federal district court judges throughout the country have used local rules to greatly expand pretrial criminal disclosure obligations, especially for prosecutors. These local criminal discovery rules both incentivize prosecutors to act as ministers of justice and empower judges to manage prosecutorial disclosures. This quiet revolution is now well underway, and the time has come to amend the Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure to bring these innovations to all the districts.

Commentators have long recognized that neither Supreme Court precedent nor the Federal Rules effectively require prosecutors to provide the defense with enough discovery to properly …

Human Torts, Lisa J. Laplante

Cardozo Law Review

Human Torts is the first article to describe how ordinary municipal tort lawsuits in the United States provide essential remedies for human rights abuses. Despite the rising level of hate crimes, bullying, corporate malfeasance, and other private acts that result in great harm and can lead to civil litigation, American scholars have never explored how everyday tort claims grounded in purely domestic common law doctrine between private, non-state actors are in fact human rights claims even if never pleaded as such in U.S. courts. Framing tort litigation as a form of human rights protection may appear to be a novel …

Breaking Iphones Under Calea And The All Writs Act: Why The Government Was (Mostly) Right, Steven R. Morrison

Cardozo Law Review

During the investigation of the 2015 San Bernardino shooting, the government asked a district court to order Apple to draft code that would bypass the password protection system of the iPhone of one of the shooters. This request was preceded by the holding of a United States District Court in New York, which found that the All Writs Act (A WA) and the Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA) prohibited the court from issuing the order. This finding was supported by Apple, amici in support of Apple in the San Bernardino investigation, and numerous experts. Although sympathetic to Apple, …

A Theory Of Bribery, Deborah Hellman

Cardozo Law Review

In a unanimous opinion in McDonnell v. United States, the Supreme Court invalidated the conviction of the former Governor of Virginia on charges of bribery and called attention to the critical role that bribery laws play in democratic government. Bribery laws fulfill this function by determining what actions of governmental officials are, and are not, for sale. Bribery laws also undergird the Court's campaign finance cases. Campaign finance doctrine rests on the assumption that a legitimate campaign contribution is distinguishable from a bribe, at least in theory. But is it? In order to answer this question, we need a theory …

Alternatives To Immigration Detention, Fatma E. Marouf

Cardozo Law Review

The United States places over 440,000 people each year in immigration detention, far more than any other country in the world. This Article argues that there are compelling humanitarian and financial reasons to utilize more alternatives to detention. It examines the strengths and limitations of existing alternatives, including the need to develop more community-based case management programs and to rely less on electronic monitoring. The Article then sets forth several legal arguments under the Constitution, Rehabilitation Act, and international human rights law for requiring greater consideration of alternatives to detention.

The Association For Civil Rights In Israel V. Minister Of Public Security, Elyakim Rubinstein, Hanan Melcer, Uri Shoham

Translated Opinions

[This abstract is not part of the Court's opinion and is provided for the reader's convenience. It has been translated from a Hebrew version prepared by Nevo Press Ltd. and is used with its kind permission.]

The Petition asked that the minimum living space allotted to every prisoner and detainee in Israeli prison and detention facilities be set at 4 square meters, exclusive of lavatory and shower areas. The Petition was grounded upon two primary legal provisions: sec. 11(B(b) of the Prisons Ordinance, which was introduced to the Ordinance by the Prisons Ordinance (Amendment no. 42) Law, 5772-2012, (Amendment 42) …

Does "Precrime" Mesh With The Ideals Of U.S. Justice?: Implications For The Future Of Predictive Policing, Jackson Polansky, Henry F. Fradella

Cardozo Public Law, Policy & Ethics Journal

Both the short story and film Minority Report are premised on a Precrime unit that relies on the psychic abilities of human mutants who can predict the commission of crimes before they occur. Advances in technology suggest that the science fiction depicted in Minority Report may one day become a reality. This paper summarizes the ways in which the criminal justice system currently derives crime predictions and extrapolates from these methods how technology might one day allow police to intervene before crimes are committed with great regularity and accuracy. The paper contemplates how an actual precrime system would struggle to …

The "Csi Effect": Tv Crime Dramas' Impact On Justice, Michael Johnson

Cardozo Public Law, Policy & Ethics Journal

The note examines the "CSI Effect," a phenomenon where crime dramas like *CSI* influence jurors' expectations, potentially affecting trial outcomes. It explores whether this effect exists, its implications, and proposes solutions to mitigate its impact on the criminal justice system.

I Am Not Law Enforcement! Why The Special Needs Exception To The Fourth Amendment Should Apply To Caseworkers Investigating Allegations Of Child Abuse, Lauren Kobrick

Cardozo Law Review

The note examines the application of the Fourth Amendment's special needs doctrine in child abuse investigations, advocating for the adoption of a primary purpose test to determine the doctrine's applicability. It critiques the inconsistent approaches across circuits and proposes this test to clarify when warrantless searches and seizures by caseworkers are constitutional, ensuring a balance between child protection and Fourth Amendment protections.

Conviction Integrity Units Revisited, Barry Scheck

Articles

“Conviction Integrity Unit” has become a brand name that has good public relations value for an elected official. But what does it really mean? Is it just a fashion accessory, a flashy but empty appellation intended to convey the idea that the office is extremely serious about correcting wrongful convictions and holding its own members accountable for errors or acts of misconduct, but really is not? Is conviction integrity nothing more than a passing fad, a nebulous slogan without real meaning that is good for propaganda purposes, but will not bring about any serious change in the way business is …

Bitcoin Versus Regulated Payment Systems: What Gives?, Lawrence J. Trautman, Alvin C. Harrell

Cardozo Law Review

The article explores the evolution and challenges of virtual currencies like Bitcoin, highlighting their potential to transform traditional payment systems while posing significant regulatory and jurisdictional difficulties. It argues that while virtual currencies offer benefits such as reduced transaction costs and financial inclusion, their decentralized nature and association with illicit activities necessitate a balanced approach to regulation. The article emphasizes the importance of adapting legal frameworks to accommodate innovation while addressing risks, ensuring a stable environment for virtual currencies to coexist with traditional monetary systems.

Online Dispute Resolution: Stinky, Repugnant, Or Drab, Robert J. Condlin

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

In Part II, I provide a brief overview of ODR systems, describing the largest, most well-known, and most sophisticated platforms now in place, to give the reader a sense of the- richness, variety, and benefits of online disputing, and a hint of developments still to come. In Part III, I describe certain legal, political, and moral concerns that have yet to be addressed in the ODR literature, and identify some of the unintended consequences the widespread adoption of ODR systems might produce. And in Part IV, I describe ODR's unfinished agenda, the questions proponents of the process must answer, and …

Why Wait So Long: The Cornelius Gurlitt Collection And The Need For Clear Adr Mechanisms In The Restitution Of Looted Art, Samantha Elie

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

This Note discusses the legal issues surrounding the Gurlitt Collection at each step of the process, and proposes that the mishandling of the collection should spark the need for an international treaty focusing on alternative dispute resolution ("ADR") mechanisms for restituting large troves of looted art. Section II of this Note provides a history of the Gurlitt Collection and the Washington Principals, the non-binding principals currently guiding countries in international restitution. Then, Section III critically examines how the collection has been handled since its discovery in 2012: by the German government, by the media, through ADR mechanisms, and through domestic …

Early Non-Military Intervention To Prevent Atrocity Crimes, Sarah Lesser

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

This Note explores the possibility of victim-offender mediation or negotiation as a means of early non-military intervention for atrocity crimes, in situations in which indicators from Risk Factor 7 of the U.N. Framework of Analysis are present, and argues that the international community should turn to such forms of mediation and negotiation more often in order to prevent atrocities. Section II provides a brief history of atrocity prevention, and explores other proposals for early warning and non-military intervention. This section also highlights the shortcomings of existing atrocity prevention models. Section III evaluates situations in which victim-offender mediation and negotiation have …

Developing Improved Tactics For Advance Pricing Agreements To Decrease Negotiation Lead Time, Ryan Vines

Cardozo Journal of Conflict Resolution

This Note seeks to investigate the inefficiencies of the Advance Pricing Agreement negotiation process and how inequitable negotiations adversely affect the American taxpaying community, and small and medium sized corporations. The results of this investigation point to the necessity for the IRS to collect data and perform trend analyses. Although marginal improvements have been made by the Advance Pricing and Mutual Agreement ("APMA") Office, the data show that the real issues of Advance Pricing Agreement negotiations have yet to be resolved. The current practices and procedures of a typical Advance Pricing Agreement negotiation does not promote horizontal equity among taxpayers. …

Enhanced Preservation: Modifying The Protect And Preserve International Cultural Property Act To Better Protect Syrian Antiquities, Anthony Prinzivalli

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Fixing Soccer: Changing Fifa's Corporate Governance Structure In Response To The Current Fifa Corruption Scandal, Alexander Mandel

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

No abstract provided.

Virtual Reality Surveillance, Gilad Yadin

Cardozo Arts & Entertainment Law Journal

This Article challenges government cybersurveillance norms and practices by introducing virtual reality, a unique digital environment that may be justifiably subject to constitutional physical privacy protection. In liberal democracies, government surveillance is driven by public security and enforcement interests, and is checked by individual privacy rights. In recent years, however, this balance has been gradually shifting. Government surveillance of cyberspace has become extensive and constant, effectively unhindered by legal restrictions and judicial oversight; surveillance ofphysical spaces, subject to the Fourth Amendment, is neither as prevalent nor as unrestrained.

We are in the midst of a virtual reality renaissance; new virtual …

Responsibly Irresponsible?: An Analysis Of The Medically Noncompliant Offender’S Federal Insanity Defense, Geoffrey Andreu

Cardozo Law Review de•novo

This Note will argue that the federal judiciary should not consider a defendant’s failure to take prescription medication when evaluating that defendant’s insanity defense unless the legislature specifically amends the statute governing the insanity defense.

Zealous And Effective Advocacy: An Assessment Of The Constitutional Right To Counsel Within A Drug Court Proceeding, Sarah Kirschenheiter

Cardozo Law Review de•novo

This Note will proceed in three parts. Part I will explain the drug court model by detailing the key components of drug courts in general and by providing an outline of the three predominant drug court models. Additionally, this Part will provide an overview of the right to counsel in traditional criminal proceedings, including probation revocation hearings. Part II will contemplate why the non-traditional stages of a drug court proceeding may constitutionally require counsel and why the defense attorney’s role within the context of drug court is problematic. Using the standards that govern traditional criminal proceedings, Part III will argue …

The Costs Of Trumped-Up Immigration Enforcement Measures, Kari Hong

Cardozo Law Review de•novo

Currently, our country spends $18 billion each year on immigration enforcement, which is nearly $4 billion more than the combined budgets of the FBI, DEA, Secret Service, and ATF. President Trump hopes to substantially increase that annual number with his proposed heightened enforcement measures that result in more arrests, more ICE officers roaming our streets, airports, and courtrooms, more detentions, more deportations, and more wall. This essay begins by examining each of these measures that were outlined in the new executive orders and concludes that all are expensive, ineffective, unnecessary, and inhumane.

The Institutional Case For Partisan Gerrymandering Claims, G. Michael Parsons

Cardozo Law Review de•novo

For voters hoping the Supreme Court’s 2017 Term brings relief from partisan gerrymandering, the end of the 2016 Term was inauspicious. In Cooper v. Harris, the majority assumed the legitimacy of “partisan advantage” arguments while the dissent—including Justice Kennedy—warned about the “serious institutional and federalism implications” of judicial intervention in the redistricting process. If past is prologue, this concern for institutional and structural interests does not bode well.

Fallacies In The Current Methods Of Prosecuting International Commercial Bribery, Ira Handa

Cardozo Law Review

The note argues that the current legal framework for prosecuting international commercial bribery is inadequate and inconsistent compared to the robust regime established for international public bribery under the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA). It advocates for comprehensive federal legislation specifically addressing international commercial bribery, modeled after the FCPA but tailored to the private sector, to bridge this gap and address the significant harms caused by such bribery.

The Insular Citizens: America's Lost Electorate V. Stare Decisis, Nathan Muchnick

Cardozo Law Review

The note examines the historical and ongoing implications of the Insular Cases, which established a form of colonial governance over U.S. territories like Puerto Rico, denying residents full citizenship rights. It argues that these cases, rooted in outdated political and racial biases, contradict modern democratic principles and urges the Supreme Court to overturn this precedent to enfranchise Puerto Rican citizens.