The Case for Kavanaugh
How "judicial philosophy" figures into the decision to support or oppose a nominee.
Criminal Justice
Judge Willett and Justice Sotomayor Attack Qualified Immunity for Cops
A libertarian-leaning federal judge and a liberal Supreme Court justice both make the case against qualified immunity.
This Florida Ballot Measure Is the Only Shot at Relief for Inmates Serving Draconian Sentences
Florida has rolled back some of its worst mandatory minimum laws, but the inmates sentenced under them have no relief.
Californians Will Finally Get Access to Records About Police Misconduct
Gov. Jerry Brown signs bills dramatically increasing transparency about law enforcement behavior.
Brett Kavanaugh's Illegal Beer Consumption Highlights the Perversity of Drinking Ages
The Supreme Court nominee's teenaged tippling was typical, although the law pretends otherwise.
Why Supreme Court Confirmation Hearings Should be Treated as Job Interviews, not Criminal Trials
One of the points at issue in the debate over the sexual assault accusations against Brett Kavanaugh is whether the standards of proof used by the Senate should be those appropriate to a criminal trial or those of a job interview. The latter is the superior approach.
Jeff Flake and the Hated—Yet Vital—Libertarian Center
Temperamental centrism and case-by-case decision-making, on Brett Kavanaugh and other issues, irritates nearly everyone-and is necessary.
Maryland Misdemeanor Law
What Maryland calls "misdemeanors" is very different from what other states do.
Politico Symposium on the Ford-Kavanaugh Sexual Assault Accusation Hearing
The symposium includes contributions by various legal commentators, including Bruce Ackerman, Mari Matsuda, Deborah Rhode, and myself.
MAGA Hat and Colin Kaepernick Shirt Make Kanye West a One-Man Bridge Across Our Political Chasm
Politics is not solely red and blue. Or in this case, red and white.
Short Circuit: A Roundup of Recent Federal Court Decisions
Interviewing prisoners, Auer deference in criminal cases, and Rand Paul's neighbor.
The American Bar Association's Lack of Transparency
The ABA president called for a delay in voting on Kavanaugh's nomination, but the ABA refuses to provide any details about this decision
The Worst Defenses for Brett Kavanaugh and Christine Ford
If you want to show your support for the accused or the accuser, stay away from these.
Senate Judiciary Committee Approves Kavanaugh for Supreme Court, With a Twist
Sen. Lindsey Graham had the quote of the day: "I think I know what happened."
Beer, Courage, and Vomit: Major Themes of the Ford-Kavanaugh Hearing
An index of recurring topics
Nashville Cop Charged With Criminal Homicide for Shooting Man in the Back as He Fled
This might be the first time a Nashville police officer has been charged for an on-duty shooting.
Philadelphia Cops Arrested for Detaining a Man Without Cause
An investigation concluded that there was no way the officers could have seen a man using drugs as they said they did.
Republicans Attack Democrats, Not Ford, Following Her Testimony Against Brett Kavanaugh
We didn't get another Anita Hill hearing. Let's consider that a small silver lining.
TSA Will Report Weed at LAX to Cops, Who Can't Do Anything About It
It makes no sense. Then again, neither does prohibition.
Dramatic Accusations and Twists Accelerate Ahead of Kavanaugh and Ford Testimony Today: Reason Roundup
Plus: Is postmodernism bad?
The Marine Le Pen Case Shows That Supposedly Enlightened France Treats Political Speech As a Crime and a Symptom of Mental Illness
The right-wing politician faces prosecution and psychiatric examination for posting pictures of ISIS atrocities.
New Kavanaugh Accuser Says Nominee Abetted Gang-Rape, Groped Girls, and Spiked Punch With Drugs at High-School Parties
The allegations were released on Twitter this morning by lawyer Michael Avenatti, who is asking for an FBI investigation.
Cop Kicks Teen Who Had Already Been Pepper-Sprayed
The officer is now under internal investigation. Some want a citizen review panel, but the chief thinks that would be "problematic."
A Sexual Assault and a Pot Club: Guess Which One Alaska Treated More Harshly?
Two high-profile crimes committed in Anchorage highlight a seemingly unequal criminal justice system.
Bloomberg and Trump Share a Love of Stop and Frisk
Both New York billionaires overestimate the program's effectiveness and overlook its constitutional defects.
Will Public Discourse Ever Recover From the Kavanaugh Hearings?: Podcast
Reason's editors discuss the latest Brett Kavanaugh revelations, Rod Rosentein's fate, and how to recover basic norms of political discourse.
New FBI Crime Report: Violent Crime Dipped Slightly Last Year
Jeff Sessions credits the dip to his tough-on-crime policies, but criminal justice groups say that's nonsense.
Dallas Cop Who Killed Botham Jean Fired for 'Adverse Conduct' During Arrest
Questions about the Botham Jean shooting won't be going away anytime soon.
Despite Marijuana Legalization Successes, Police Keep Arresting Users
New FBI statistics for 2017 even show a small increase.
Timothy Diaz Sues Police Who Confused Him with Another Timothy Diaz
There are hardly any similarities between the 26-year-old suspect and the 53-year-old man who got arrested.
20 Years in Prison for Florida Man Who Swiped $600 Worth of Cigarettes
He has prior felony convictions, but 20 years still seems harsh.
Report: N.J. Sheriff Caught on Tape Slamming Black People for Smoking Weed
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says if the report is true, the sheriff "must resign."
Meet the Robot Lawyer Fighting Fines, Fees, and Red Tape
DoNotPay is launching a "denial of service attack on the legal system to make it better."
Jon Burge, Chicago's Most Famous Corrupt Cop, Is Dead at 70
Credibly accused, but never actually convicted, of torturing dozens of people to force confessions
After 27 Years, Golf Drawings Helped Clear a Convict of Murder
Valentino Dixon has been proclaiming his innocence for decades. After a golf magazine brought attention to his case, people started to listen.
Cody Wilson, Home Weapon-Making Pioneer, Charged with Sexual Assault for Paying for Sex with a Minor
He is not yet in custody and is believed to be in Taiwan.
2 Female Mental Health Patients Die in Back of Police Van Fleeing Florence Floods
But several questions remain unanswered.
Republicans Shouldn't Dismiss an FBI Probe Into the Accusations Against Kavanaugh
It might clear him without subjecting her to an inquistion
California Eliminated Cash Bail. Now Activists and Defenders Have to Make Sure the Replacement Isn't Worse.
The Golden State has a year to implement a new pretrial system, and there's a fear it could lead to more detentions.
Sex Trafficking in San Diego Massage Parlors Blamed on U.S. Military
But the real problem here isn't human-trafficking troops, it's regulators raising crime panic.
2 Hours in Jail for Cop Who Killed Botham Jean. 2 Nights for People Protesting His Death.
The protesters may have broken the law, but two nights behind bars is a bit much.
Philadelphia Will Dismantle Its Asset Forfeiture Program and Pay $3 Million to Victims
A legal settlement guarantees reforms to what was once one of America's most egregious asset forfeiture programs.
