Body-worn camera footage can be admitted as evidence and shown to jurors during criminal trials.
November 19, 2025
high
procedural
Use of video evidence in criminal prosecutions
Criminal trials involving police use-of-force commonly include testimony from use-of-force experts, accident reconstructionists, responding officers, and police policy experts.
November 19, 2025
high
procedural
Types of expert and witness testimony typically used in use-of-force cases
Closing arguments in criminal trials occur after the prosecution and the defense have rested their cases.
November 19, 2025
high
procedural
Typical sequence of trial proceedings
U.S. judicial practice emphasizes that limiting military involvement in civilian affairs is foundational to safeguarding constitutional liberties.
November 19, 2025
high
legal
Judicial statements and rulings have repeatedly warned against unfettered use of military forces in domestic civilian matters.
Some U.S. state constitutions restrict governors' authority to deploy the National Guard to specific conditions such as 'rebellion' or 'invasion'.
November 19, 2025
high
legal
State constitutional language can set substantive limits on when governors may order National Guard activations.
State and federal courts have the legal authority to temporarily block or enjoin National Guard deployments when judges determine those deployments exceed executive authority or are unlawful.
November 19, 2025
high
legal
Judicial injunctions and stays can pause military or Guard operations pending legal review of executive actions.
A dismissal of criminal charges 'with prejudice' prevents prosecutors from refiling the same charges against the defendant.
November 19, 2025
high
legal_definition
Explains the legal effect of a dismissal with prejudice in criminal proceedings.
U.S. courts have expressed legal wariness about deploying military forces into domestic civilian affairs, treating limits on such deployments as important to safeguarding constitutional liberties.
November 19, 2025
high
temporal
Judicial doctrine and rulings have emphasized constraints on the use of military or militia forces for domestic law enforcement to protect civil liberties.
State constitutions and laws can restrict a governor's authority to deploy the National Guard, for example by limiting deployment triggers to circumstances such as a 'rebellion' or 'invasion'.
November 19, 2025
high
temporal
Many states define legal criteria and limits for use of state militia or National Guard forces, which can be reviewed by courts.
Courts can and do temporarily block or freeze National Guard deployments pending judicial review or appeal when they find potential legal limits have been exceeded.
November 19, 2025
high
temporal
Judicial remedies such as temporary injunctions or freezes are available to plaintiffs challenging domestic military deployments.
In U.S. federal criminal law, a claim of vindictive prosecution requires a defendant to show that a prosecutor acted with 'genuine animus' toward the defendant and pursued charges to punish the defendant for exercising a legally protected right.
November 19, 2025
high
legal
Legal standard used to seek dismissal of an indictment on grounds that prosecution was retaliatory for protected conduct.
In U.S. federal criminal law, a selective prosecution claim requires a defendant to show that the government was motivated by a discriminatory purpose, which can be demonstrated by proving that similarly situated individuals were not prosecuted or that the decision to bring charges was invidious or made in bad faith.
November 19, 2025
high
legal
Legal standard for challenging an indictment on the basis that prosecutorial decisions were discriminatorily applied.
As of 2025-11-19, the United States had 75 immigration courts.
November 19, 2025
high
temporal
Count of immigration court locations in the U.S.
As of 2025-11-19, the U.S. immigration court system had a backlog of approximately 3.8 million pending asylum cases.
November 19, 2025
high
temporal
Pending asylum case inventory in the immigration court system.
In the United States, immigration courts are administered by the Department of Justice and immigration judges do not have lifetime tenure like Article III federal judges; the attorney general can remove immigration judges with fewer legal restraints.
November 19, 2025
high
temporal
Structural and employment differences between immigration judges and Article III federal judges.
Individuals have a right against self-incrimination and may seek to decline testimony in civil or family-court proceedings if their testimony could be self-incriminating or could incriminate a minor in their care.
November 19, 2025
high
legal
General legal principle about invoking the right against self-incrimination in civil/family proceedings to avoid incriminating oneself or a minor child.
Under U.S. federal law, knowingly making false statements to federal law enforcement authorities can be prosecuted as a federal offense punishable by up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
November 19, 2025
high
legal
General statement of federal penalties for making false statements to federal authorities as cited in reporting of related cases.
Immigration enforcement and related detention are primarily federal responsibilities under U.S. law, and federal primacy is commonly invoked in legal challenges to state-run immigration facilities.
November 19, 2025
high
temporal
Legal disputes over state-operated immigration facilities frequently raise federal-versus-state authority questions.
Appellate courts can stay (put on hold) lower-court preliminary injunctions, allowing contested facilities or activities to continue operating while the appeal is decided.
November 19, 2025
high
temporal
A stay of a preliminary injunction preserves the status quo during appellate review.
A U.S. district judge has authority to conduct contempt investigations that can determine whether to refer alleged contempt matters for criminal prosecution.
November 19, 2025
high
temporal
Federal judicial powers regarding contempt proceedings and potential referral for prosecution.
An appellate court panel can rule on a district court's contempt finding, and a larger appellate panel can reconsider or clarify whether a prior appellate panel's ruling bars further district-level contempt proceedings.
November 19, 2025
high
temporal
Interaction between district courts and the U.S. Courts of Appeals in contempt litigation.
Judicial orders are legally binding commands on the Executive Branch, and obedience to those orders is necessary for the judiciary to fulfill its constitutionally assigned role.
November 19, 2025
high
temporal
Fundamental principle regarding the binding nature of court orders across branches of government.
Meta Platforms (formerly Facebook) owns the social media services Instagram and WhatsApp.
November 18, 2025
high
ownership
Corporate ownership relationships in the technology and social media sector.
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC) can bring antitrust lawsuits alleging that companies have stifled competition by acquiring rival firms.
November 18, 2025
high
legal
General authority and practice of U.S. antitrust enforcement.
Antitrust enforcement actions may seek remedies such as divestiture or the forced spin-off of acquired businesses when competition concerns are identified.
November 18, 2025
high
legal
Typical remedial options available to competition regulators in antitrust cases.
In 2025, Florida set 19 people for execution under Governor Ron DeSantis, the most executions in a single year by any Florida governor since the death penalty was reinstated in 1976.
November 18, 2025
high
temporal
Counts of executions in Florida during the 2025 calendar year compared to historical post-reinstatement records.
As of November 18, 2025, forty-three people had been executed in the United States during 2025.
November 18, 2025
high
temporal
National count of executions during the 2025 calendar year up to the referenced date.
U.S. federal law includes offenses that criminalize arson affecting property used in interstate commerce.
November 18, 2025
high
legal
Federal statutes establish arson-related offenses when fires affect property involved in interstate commerce.
U.S. federal law includes offenses described as malicious destruction of property by means of fire.
November 18, 2025
high
legal
Federal criminal statutes cover malicious destruction of property via fire as a punishable offense.
U.S. magistrate judges may deny pretrial release (bond) on the basis that a defendant poses a danger to others, has mental health concerns indicating risk, or is a flight risk.
November 18, 2025
high
procedural
Pretrial detention decisions in the federal system commonly consider community danger, a defendant's mental health, and risk of flight.
The Maritime Drug Law Enforcement Act provides for a potential sentence of 10 years to life in prison for violations of the statute.
November 17, 2025
high
legal
Federal statute governing certain maritime drug offenses and penalties.
Drug traffickers may use commercial cargo ships and cooperation from ship crew members to smuggle cocaine by transferring loads from speedboats into shipping containers at sea.
November 17, 2025
high
criminal_method
Description of a maritime smuggling technique used to conceal and move large drug shipments.
Offering money to a juror in exchange for returning a particular verdict constitutes juror bribery or jury tampering and is a criminal offense.
November 17, 2025
high
criminal_law
Legal principle addressing attempts to corrupt the judicial process by influencing jurors with payments or favors.
Courts may dismiss an empaneled jury and pause trial proceedings if judges discover credible evidence of juror tampering, and courts may empanel anonymous juries when there are concerns about juror safety or impartiality.
November 17, 2025
high
procedural
Procedural options available to judges to protect the integrity and safety of juries and trials.
U.S. District Court judges in the United States can sentence criminal defendants to credit for time served and to terms of supervised release.
November 17, 2025
high
legal
Describes types of penalties a federal district judge can impose as part of a criminal sentence.
State courts in the United States can impose sentences that include jail time, probation, community service requirements, restitution payments, and mandatory drug, alcohol, or mental health assessments.
November 17, 2025
high
legal
Lists common elements that state criminal sentences can include.
Conditions of pretrial release in the United States can include requirements to undergo mental health services, to abstain from drugs and alcohol, and to maintain specified distance restrictions from certain locations or items (for example, aircraft).
November 17, 2025
high
procedural
Describes types of release conditions that courts can impose while a defendant is released pending further proceedings.
The Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) is the U.S. agency that oversees the government-sponsored enterprises Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
November 17, 2025
high
institutional
Describes the supervisory relationship between a federal regulator and the two government-sponsored mortgage enterprises.
FHFA regulations require Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to have independent chairs of their boards.
November 17, 2025
high
regulatory
Governance requirement concerning board leadership for the government-sponsored enterprises supervised by FHFA.
When a criminal indictment is dismissed 'with prejudice,' the charges cannot be refiled against the defendant on the same grounds.
November 17, 2025
high
legal
Standard criminal procedure consequence of a dismissal with prejudice.
A 2025 Department of Justice document listing 614 immigrants arrested in Chicago showed 598 (97.4%) had no criminal records at the time of their arrest and 16 (2.6%) had criminal records.
November 17, 2025
high
temporal
Statistical breakdown reported in a 2025 DOJ document of individuals arrested in Chicago.
None of the 614 people listed in a 2025 Department of Justice document of immigrants arrested in Chicago were recorded as convicted of or arrested for murder or rape.
November 17, 2025
high
temporal
Offense-level information recorded in a 2025 DOJ document listing arrested immigrants in Chicago.
Under Washington's Public Records Act, records do not need to be physically held by a government agency in order to qualify as public records.
November 17, 2025
high
legal
Legal interpretation about the scope of public records coverage for records stored outside agency custody.
Some local governments and police agencies assert that data stored by third-party vendors is not subject to public records laws even when the data documents activity on public roads.
November 17, 2025
high
policy
Frequently stated position by some agencies regarding vendor-held surveillance data.
Retention, storage, and access policies for ALPR-captured images create trade-offs between public safety and privacy: privacy advocates typically call for clear retention and transparency rules, while law enforcement emphasizes restricting access to protect ongoing investigations.
November 17, 2025
high
policy
Summary of common stakeholder positions on governance of ALPR data.
Tennessee's military code includes provisions that, in some scenarios such as a 'breakdown of law and order,' require a request from a local government to use the National Guard.
November 17, 2025
high
legal
Statutory provision describing conditions under which local request is required for National Guard use.
A judicial interpretation can conclude that a governor's authority as commander-in-chief of a state's National Guard is not unfettered by state law.
November 17, 2025
high
legal
General legal principle that courts may find statutory limits on gubernatorial command of the National Guard.
Tennessee law grants the governor of Tennessee the authority to dispatch the Tennessee National Guard and to determine when that need exists.
November 03, 2025
high
legal
Describes the statutory authority under Tennessee law regarding state National Guard deployment.
Under U.S. federal law, making false statements to federal law enforcement can be punished by up to five years in prison and a maximum fine of $250,000.
January 01, 2025
high
temporal
Federal criminal penalty for making false statements to federal authorities (commonly charged under statutes addressing false statements and false reports).
In 2024, the Los Angeles County Office of Diversion and Reentry reported that approximately 2,700 to 2,800 people were in its diversion program, that it lost track of around 400 to 500 participants, and that about 100 to 200 participants returned to jail.
January 01, 2024
high
statistical
Reported program enrollment and attrition figures for LA County's diversion program.
In 2024, the Los Angeles County District Attorney estimated about 24% of participants did not complete the diversion program, while the Los Angeles County Office of Diversion and Reentry estimated about 17% of participants did not complete the program.
January 01, 2024
high
statistical
Conflicting estimates of diversion program non-completion rates from the DA and the Office of Diversion and Reentry.
The Los Angeles County Office of Diversion and Reentry reported that in 2024 there were approximately 2,700 to 2,800 people in its diversion program, it lost track of about 400 to 500 people, and roughly 100 to 200 people returned to jail.
January 01, 2024
high
statistical
Program size and follow-up outcomes reported for Los Angeles County's diversion program in 2024.
Estimates in 2024 indicated non-completion rates for the Los Angeles County diversion program of about 17% according to the Office of Diversion and Reentry and about 24% according to Los Angeles County District Attorney Nathan Hochman.
January 01, 2024
high
statistical
Differing estimates of diversion program non-completion rates in Los Angeles County in 2024.
A 2019 U.S. Supreme Court decision (Rucho v. Common Cause) held that federal courts cannot adjudicate claims of partisan gerrymandering.
June 27, 2019
high
legal
Supreme Court ruling limiting federal-court review of partisan gerrymandering claims.
The previous single-year record for executions in Florida was eight executions in 2014.
December 31, 2014
high
temporal
Historical single-year execution totals for the state of Florida.
The previous record for executions carried out in a single year in Florida since 1976 was eight executions in 2014.
January 01, 2014
high
temporal
State-level historical record for executions in Florida.
The United States reinstated the death penalty in 1976.
January 01, 1976
high
temporal
Historical milestone marking the end of the 1972â1976 de facto moratorium on capital punishment in the U.S.
The Alien Enemies Act is a U.S. wartime immigration law enacted in 1798.
January 01, 1798
high
temporal
Describes the origin and nature of the Alien Enemies Act as a statutory wartime immigration authority in U.S. law.
The Fifth Amendment to the United States Constitution provides a right against self-incrimination, allowing individuals to refuse to answer questions that could incriminate them during law enforcement questioning.
December 15, 1791
high
constitutional
U.S. constitutional protection invoked during police custody or interrogation
The Establishment Clause in the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution prohibits the government from establishing a religion or favoring one religion over another.
December 15, 1791
high
legal
Constitutional protection limiting government actions regarding religion in public institutions, including public schools.
U.S. constitutional and judicial norms require government officials to comply with judicial orders, and courts view willful disobedience of judicial orders by officials as inconsistent with the Constitution.
September 17, 1787
high
legal
General principle about the obligation of government officials to obey judicial rulings.
Title IX is a U.S. federal law that forbids discrimination based on sex in education.
high
legal
Definition of Title IX as referenced in discussions of federal civil rights obligations in education.
Pretrial release conditions in criminal cases can include requirements to undergo mental-health treatment, abstain from drugs and alcohol, and restrictions on access to specified locations or items.
high
legal
Examples of common conditions that may be imposed when a defendant is released pending trial.
Los Angeles County's Office of Diversion and Reentry provides supportive housing through mental health diversion or probation that is not a locked facility and which residents can leave without being physically prevented from doing so.
high
policy
Description of the nature of supportive housing offered as part of diversion in LA County.
Mental health diversion statutes make defendants charged with certain serious crimes, such as murder and rape, ineligible for diversion.
high
legal
Statutory eligibility limits for mental health diversion programs.
Diversion programs offer treatment and education to criminal defendants as an alternative to serving jail time.
high
descriptive
General definition of diversion programs as an alternative sentencing or case resolution approach.
The Supremacy Clause of the United States Constitution establishes that federal law is the supreme law of the land and takes precedence over conflicting state law.
high
constitutional
Defines hierarchical relationship between federal and state law.
Title 5, Section 301 of the United States Code (5 U.S.C. § 301) authorizes agency heads to prescribe regulations for the government of their department and the conduct of its employees.
high
statutory
Federal statutory authority concerning internal agency regulations and employee conduct.
California statutes titled the No Secret Police Act and the No Vigilantes Act prohibit most law enforcement officers, including federal agents, from wearing face masks on the job and require non-uniformed officers to visibly display identification while performing duties, with stated exceptions for undercover agents, medical masks (for example, N95 respirators), and masks that are part of tactical gear.
high
statutory
Summary of statutory provisions regarding face coverings and identification for law enforcement in California.
In U.S. courts, a release on one's own recognizance means the defendant is released without being required to post bail.
high
definition
defines a common pretrial release mechanism
A district attorney (DA) serves as the chief law enforcement officer in a county or local jurisdiction and is responsible for prosecuting crimes and protecting public safety.
high
definition
describes the general role and responsibilities of a DA
Federal courts in the United States can enjoin the use of newly drawn congressional maps and order that alternative maps be used for upcoming elections when resolving redistricting disputes.
high
temporal
Describes judicial authority and remedies available in redistricting litigation.
Possession of a dangerous weapon in a federal facility is a federal criminal offense, and depredation of federal property is a separate federal criminal offense that can be charged by federal prosecutors.
high
legal
Names of common federal property-related criminal charges.
The Establishment Clause is part of the First Amendment to the U.S. Constitution and prohibits the government from establishing or favoring a religion.
high
constitutional
Describes the constitutional limit on government action with respect to religion.
Public schools are government actors, so religious displays in public school classrooms can implicate the Establishment Clause of the U.S. Constitution.
high
legal
Explains why actions by school officials regarding religious displays are subject to Establishment Clause analysis.
Federal courts can block the implementation of state-drawn congressional maps pending judicial review or trial.
high
judicial
Judicial authority to enjoin state maps while legal challenges proceed.
Racial gerrymandering â drawing electoral district lines predominantly on the basis of race â is illegal under U.S. federal law and the U.S. Constitution.
high
legal
Legal principle applied in litigation over congressional redistricting.
The U.S. Constitution assigns primary authority to state legislatures to draw congressional district maps, subject to limitations imposed by federal law and judicial review.
high
constitutional
Foundational allocation of redistricting responsibility between state and federal systems.
Federal courts have the authority to review state congressional redistricting plans, to issue injunctions blocking their implementation, and to conduct trials adjudicating claims such as racial gerrymandering.
high
procedural
Judicial powers exercised in redistricting disputes.
Some U.S. states, including West Virginia and Idaho, have enacted laws that prohibit individuals designated male at birth (often described in reporting as 'biological males') from participating in girls' or women's sports.
high
policy
State-level statutes restricting participation in sex-segregated school sports based on sex designated at birth.
Decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court on legal challenges about transgender athletes' participation in women's sports can establish precedent that affects the national legality and enforceability of state laws and policies on that issue.
high
legal_process
Role of the U.S. Supreme Court in resolving conflicts between state laws, federal law, and constitutional or statutory claims.
Ricin is a lethal toxin that can be used to poison humans.
high
descriptive
The article referenced ricin as an example of a lethal toxin in the context of plotting poisonings.
The First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution forbids government officials from firing or otherwise retaliating against government employees for engaging in expressive conduct concerning a matter of public concern.
high
legal
General legal principle regarding protected speech by government employees.
Members of Congress can file amicus briefs with the U.S. Supreme Court to urge the Court to rule in specific cases.
high
general
Legislative participation in judicial proceedings through thirdâparty briefs
Title IX is invoked in legal disputes concerning the protection of women's sports and questions about the law's national enforcement.
high
general
Use of federal education law in litigation over sports and enforcement scope
Appellate courts can grant stays of district-court preliminary injunctions while the appeals court evaluates the injunction's merits.
high
legal
Describes appellate authority to pause lower-court injunctions pending appeal.
A court-imposed requirement that executive-branch entities submit current and future internal guidance, policies, and directives for judicial review can be challenged as impermissibly infringing on the constitutional principle of separation of powers.
high
legal
Describes a separation-of-powers concern when the judiciary mandates ongoing review of executive internal materials.
Preliminary injunctions that broadly enjoin sweeping categories of executive actorsâsuch as the President, entire executive departments, or all law enforcement officers within the executive branchârisk being characterized as overbroad on appeal and may be narrowed to directly address specific constitutional claims such as First and Fourth Amendment issues.
high
legal
Addresses limits on the scope of preliminary injunctions and the tendency to tailor remedies to particular constitutional claims.
AT&T's Global Legal Demand Center receives hundreds of thousands of legal demands each year.
high
operational
Describes the volume of legal process requests handled by a major telecommunications company's legal compliance unit.
Telecommunications providers commonly comply with grand jury subpoenas by producing subscriber toll records and such subpoenas are sometimes accompanied by nondisclosure (gag) orders.
high
procedural
General practice regarding how telecom carriers respond to grand jury subpoenas for call detail/toll records.
A subpoena that identifies only a phone number and does not indicate that the subscriber holds a particular public status (for example, that the number belongs to a member of Congress) may be processed as a routine legal demand by a carrier's subpoena processing center without additional inquiry.
high
procedural
Explains why carriers may produce subscriber records when subpoenas lack identifying context about the subscriber's official role.
In California, a preliminary hearing in a felony case is a criminal procedure in which both the prosecution and the defense present evidence and a judge decides whether the case should proceed to trial.
high
procedural
Describes the role of preliminary hearings in California felony prosecutions.
The Akron Police Department places officers involved in shootings on paid administrative leave as part of department policy.
high
procedural
Describes a departmental personnel procedure applied after officer-involved shootings.
The Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigation conducts investigations of officer-involved shootings to determine circumstances such as whether a suspect was armed.
high
organizational
Describes the investigative role of a state-level criminal investigation agency in police-involved use-of-force incidents.
The Akron Police Department's Office of Professional Standards and Accountability conducts separate internal investigations into officer-involved shootings.
high
procedural
Internal affairs or professional standards units investigate departmental policy and conduct matters after use-of-force incidents.
The Akron Police Department uses body-worn cameras to record officer interactions and may release body-camera footage of officer-involved incidents for review.
high
procedural
Body-worn camera usage and public release of footage during reviews of use-of-force incidents.
Federal grand juries deliberate and vote on whether to return indictments, and prosecutors can edit an indictment to remove counts that the grand jury did not approve.
high
procedural
General description of how grand-jury voting can affect the contents of an indictment.
U.S. magistrate judges can preside over the return of federal indictments and may be presented with both an indictment document and a grand-jury report indicating the grand jury's failure to concur on certain counts.
high
procedural
Describes the role of a magistrate judge in receiving indictments and related grand-jury documentation.
Under U.S. law, lawmakers may redraw electoral maps for partisan reasons, but redistricting that constitutes a racial gerrymander can be challenged and invalidated in court.
high
legal
Distinguishes legally permissible partisan redistricting from unconstitutional racial gerrymandering.
U.S. federal courts can issue preliminary injunctions to block the implementation of newly drawn congressional maps while legal challenges are resolved.
high
legal
Preliminary injunctions are a procedural tool courts use to preserve the status quo during litigation over redistricting.