On May 2, 2023, Governor Kathy Hochul signed New York’s fiscal year 2024 state budget, which included changes to the state’s bail reform law. Driven by an effort to reduce the number of people held in pretrial detention and address persistent economic and racial disparities1 in New York’s jail population,2 bail reform initially passed in 2019 and … Continued

Introduction Recent media coverage of the political scene shines a spotlight on the crime-fraud exception to the confidentiality protection provided by the attorney-client privilege. Rarely has a rule of evidence achieved such prominence in the public square or prompted such widespread discussion of when lawyers may be required to reveal information provided to them by … Continued

Introduction Plea bargaining has become the norm in the American criminal justice system, with over 90% of criminal cases being resolved through plea agreements rather than trials. While plea bargaining can offer benefits such as reduced sentences and the avoidance of lengthy trials, it is also a process that can be marred by coercion, intimidation, … Continued

My general practice is to discuss a theme in my Message and then move on to deliver a preview of the current issue. This issue, however, is a bit different because I’ve written one of the articles. I’ve taken the time to describe, from at least 30,000 feet, my recent experiences as a Fulbright U.S. … Continued

On January 28, I landed in Tirana, Albania, accompanied by my wife and four substantial pieces of luggage. It was the start of my 120-day stay as a Fulbright U.S. Scholar. That experience was at the same time a professional and personal adventure, beyond the scope of this article to describe in detail. But there … Continued

It is exciting and intimidating to follow David Cohen as chair of this section. His extensive legislative experience and legal knowledge promoted our efforts to discuss and debate various criminal justice matters. He had the insight and ability to round up various opinions to find common ground and reach consensus where it almost seemed impossible. … Continued

Reviewed by Roger Bennet Adler If the life and times of mob boss Vito Genovese were a film, it would likely be viewed in black and white, consistent with the times in which he pursued his criminal activities. However, as an old school Mafioso, Genovese undertook to avoid publicity. Judge (ret.) John Gleeson’s book The Gotti … Continued