Appeals panel hears challenge to Christopher Thompson's post-conviction denial, defense cites ineffective counsel and involuntary plea In an appellate oral argument, defense attorney Melinda Meddor asked judges to reverse a post-conviction court's denial for Christopher Thompson, who pleaded to second-degree murder and drew a 20-year sentence; the defense argued counsel was ineffective and the plea was involuntary, while the state said the record does not support relief.

Christopher Thompson’s fight for justice takes center stage as his defense claims he was misled into a guilty plea for a crime he insists he didn’t commit.

Click to read more!

#TN #LegalReform #CitizenPortal #TennesseeCourts #CriminalJustice #PleaBargaining

Judge denies request to enforce alleged plea offer and blocks furlough for Billy Lynn Hollis Jr. Cheatham County Criminal Court denied a motion to enforce an alleged earlier plea agreement and refused a furlough request for defendant Billy Lynn Hollis Jr., finding no firm, accepted plea on the record and citing the seriousness of the pending charges and Hollis’s criminal history.

A Tennessee judge has denied a plea agreement enforcement and furlough request for Billy Lynn Hollis Jr., leaving him facing serious charges and a trial date looming.

Get the details!

#TN #CitizenPortal #CriminalJustice #PleaBargaining #CommunityAccountability #TennesseeCourts

The “Miscarriage of Justice” Exception to Appeal Waiver Enforcement: Debunking and Demystifying the Circuit Split

"The 'Miscarriage of Justice' Exception" by Warner examines circuit splits over when courts refuse to enforce appeal waivers in plea deals. Proposes clearer standards amid upcoming Supreme Court case. spkl.io/63325AX6a3 #CriminalLaw #PleaBargaining #Justice

Alfredo Gayton pleads guilty to third degree DWI with sentencing reset for report Alfredo Gayton pleads guilty to multiple DWI charges, awaiting sentencing after pre-sentence report.

A Texas judge navigates the complexities of repeat DWI offenses as Alfredo Gayton pleads guilty, setting the stage for a crucial sentencing decision.

Learn more here!

#TX #CitizenPortal #CriminalJustice #PleaBargaining #RepeatOffenders #TexasJudicialSystem

Plea Bargaining On Namibia's Table [New Era] Chief Justice Peter Shivute and his deputy, Petrus Damaseb, introduced the concept of plea bargaining in Namibia on Wednesday during a conference on alternative dispute resolution held in the capital.

#Namibia #PleaBargaining #JusticeSystem #LegalReform #AlternativeDisputeResolution

Plea bargaining on Namibia’s table - New Era Namibia Plea bargaining on Namibia’s table  New Era Namibia

#Namibia #PleaBargaining #LegalSystem #JusticeReform #CriminalJustice

Plea bargaining on the cards for Namibia – judiciary The Office of the Judiciary hosted its inaugural national conference on alternative dispute resolution on Tuesday to expedite the delivery of justice in Namibia. The theme of the conference was ‘Enhancing Access to Justice Through Plea Bargaining: Lessons, Prospects and Practical Solutions’. In his speech, chief justice Peter Shivute said the event aims to improve justice delivery and implement mechanisms that offer real and immediate relief to an overburdened criminal justice system by way of plea bargaining. Shivute said access to justice is not just a strategic goal, but a constitutional imperative and a moral duty. According to him, plea bargaining is not a new concept, as it is one used globally and increasingly within Africa. “In many jurisdictions, this form of alternative dispute resolution has emerged as a pragmatic and fair solution to challenges of criminal case overload, prolonged trials, and delayed justice. It is not about circumventing justice. It is about achieving justice in a manner that is both efficient and humane,” he said. Shivute said plea bargaining offers benefits in modern criminal justice systems. “It enables the swift resolution of cases, reducing the time required to finalise matters and easing the burden on courts. By streamlining case disposal, it helps address backlogs, particularly in lower courts, where the volume of matters is often high. It also contributes to reducing the number of accused persons held in pre-trial detention, thereby promoting more timely access to justice and alleviating pressure on correctional facilities,” he said. Visiting chief justice of Uganda Alfonse Owiny-Dollo at the event stressed the need for access to justice in Africa. “It is dawning on us that the formal justice system we have practiced for decades is not only alien but is adversarial and hostile to the African interests and values. It’s a danger to the norms and values that have sustained our societies for thousands of years. This foreign legal regime has had enormous negative impact on the administration of justice in our various African jurisdictions,” he said. He called on African judiciaries to look at existing criminal justice systems and explore the introduction of pre-judgement mechanisms to ease court backlogs and deliver justice more efficiently. Several judges from Uganda also attended the conference. Last month, lawyer Kadhila Amoomo recommended to the minister of justice and labour relations, Wise Immanuel, the introduction of a plea bargaining system in the Namibian criminal justice system as it will shorten the period it takes to finalise criminal cases in Namibia. “As we speak, it takes roughly around three to five years to finalise cases in Namibia. If we introduce plea bargaining like other jurisprudences, we are likely to achieve a curtailment in the criminal justice system,” he proposed. The post Plea bargaining on the cards for Namibia – judiciary appeared first on The Namibian.

#Namibia #JusticeSystem #PleaBargaining #LegalReform #AccessToJustice

Need to introduce plea bargaining in the justice system Need to introduce plea bargaining in the justice system NBC Online Wed, 06/04/2025 - 15:46

#PleaBargaining #JusticeSystem #CourtReform #LegalSystem #AlternativeDisputeResolution

Chief Justice endorses plea bargaining, ADR to ease court backlogs Chief Justice endorses plea bargaining, ADR to ease court backlogs NBC Online Tue, 06/03/2025 - 10:46

#JusticeReform #PleaBargaining #ADR #CourtBacklogs #LegalSystem

Texas court schedules plea dates for multiple defendants including Carolyn Bates and Jaden Akins Courts confirm August 5 status conferences for defendants seeking plea resolutions.

In a virtual courtroom filled with tension, Texas defendants seek plea deals as the legal clock ticks down to their August status conferences.

Click to read more!

#TX #CitizenPortal #JudicialProcess #TexasCourts #PleaBargaining #LegalResolution

Plea Bargains as Drivers of Incarceration-Related Health Outcomes Riley Smith MPH Boston University School of Public Health Abstract The discipline of public health has begun to recognize the structural inequities of the carceral system as drivers of poor individual and population health. The number of people incarcerated and the length of their incarceration determine the scope and gravity of their exposure to these individual and public health effects. Plea bargains all but guarantee a period of incarceration, often for many years, because prosecutors have significant bargaining power against defendants who often do not fully understand their rights or the likelihood of receiving the sentences that prosecutors would be seeking in trial. I propose and analyze several pathways through which to eliminate or severely restrict the practice of plea bargaining to minimize the health effects associated with incarceration. I conclude that state legislation would be most feasible and effective at eliminating plea bargains but, without concurrent interventions addressing mandatory minima and/or bail, would not fundamentally address the primary concerns of sentence length and overcrowding. Keywords: plea bargaining; incarceration; public health; anti-racism; policy analysis

The winner of the 4th annual Health Law and Anti-Racism Graduate Student Writing Competition is Riley Smith's "Plea Bargains as Drivers of Incarceration-Related Health Outcomes." Open-access, now available on FirstView. #incarceration #PleaBargaining #PublicHealth

www.cambridge.org/core/journal...

Local lawyer makes case for plea bargaining to speed up criminal trials Local lawyer makes case for plea bargaining to speed up criminal trials NBC Online Wed, 05/21/2025 - 16:49

#PleaBargaining #CriminalJustice #Namibia #LegalReform #JusticeSystem

We need more leaders willing to make #Amerikkka #US again, meaning a #Diverse ALL of #Us who are willing to learn our true #History and deal with our #MassIncarceration and forced #PleaBargaining lack of #DueProcess

Consistent with ABA CJS Plea Bargain Task Force Principle 4, new AG Bondi memo re charging and plea bargaining makes clear that prosecutors “may not use criminal charges to exert leverage to induce a guilty plea.” #FixthePlea #PleaBargaining

Court examines Cozzi's plea deal amid claims of ineffective counsel and sentencing confusion Court finds Cozzi's prior counsel deficient for failing to explain plea consequences, establishing prejudice.

A pivotal court meeting is questioning whether George W. Cosey was misled by his attorney about crucial legal options, potentially reshaping criminal defense standards in Tennessee.

Click to read more!

#TN #TennesseeCriminalJustice #PleaBargaining #CitizenPortal #CriminalDefense

PBI 2024 Supreme Court Retrospective Report (1970-2019) - Plea Bargaining Institue

There are 59 significant U.S. Supreme Court plea bargaining decisions since 1970. This Plea Bargaining Institute report explores the history of plea bargaining and the development of Supreme Court precedent from 1970 until 2019. #pleabargaining pleabargaininginstitute.com/reports/pbi-...

Summaries | Plea Bargaining Institute The PBI summaries provide readers with key information about important research and case law in the plea bargaining field.

If you are interested in plea bargaining research, check out the searchable database of research findings from 1979-2023 at the Plea Bargaining Institute - pleabargaininginstitute.com/summaries/ #PleaBargainingInstitute #CriminalJustice #PleaBargaining #Innocence

In plea bargaining, who really gets the bargain? Plea bargaining consistently attracts more attention than...

In #pleaBargaining, who really gets the bargain? #law #criminalLaw #crimLaw theconversation.com/in-plea-bargaining-who-r... via @ConversationEDU