I set this spring's criminal law exam loosely in @aptshadow.bsky.social's City of Last Chances. It was a joy to read through the 64 sixteen-page responses, even if they were less forgiving of Lemya's antics than I expected. Stirring opposition to Correct Conduct in the policy Q answers!

When your best friend texts you “wake up, new encyclical dropped.

The Washington University Law Review invites submissions for its 2026 symposium, “The Many Faces of the State.” We welcome proposals examining competing conceptions of the state, including the administrative, carceral, national security, welfare, preventive, and surveillance state. See attached.

NEW: Oregon has 15 DA elections this year. Each and every one drew just one candidate. So I had to write about what’s going on with these uncontested elections — here, and elsewhere. boltsmag.org/oregon-uncon...

Proud to be on this list, and really looking forward to presenting on state/local conflicts in appellate prosecution next week!

I wrote about my experiences being sexually exploited as a child, and what we need to do to make sure AI doesn’t make that a reality for millions of children. www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

I know I'm probably the only person still grumpy about when Krasner got questions early on like "who was DA last week when 5 people were killed on our streets?" Looking forward to the "who was DA last year when homicides hit a record low?" interviews..! (lovely nuance on stats/policing in article)

Hello! @adamsopko.bsky.social and I have been working on a proposal to charter an AALS Section on State Constitutional Law. We believe that such a section is long overdue and that it is urgent to foster scholarly community and support in a growing discipline. Links to support this effort below: ⬇️

"[T]he parents who once supported me fully in being an artist sent me an AI generated picture of a caricature of themselves holding a birthday cake with my name spelled incorrectly. My friends all post themselves as cartoons online."

With the AJC dropping its print edition, I feel compelled to share one of the greatest moments in print design history

PARTICULARLY RELEVANT now and in the coming days: smithblawg.blogspot.com/2023/07/goin... (The initial interview stage) smithblawg.blogspot.com/2024/07/goin... (The callback and job talk) Those going on the market should also free to reach out to me with any questions about the process!

Just a reminder of my favorite idea for a law student note: Pick an important Supreme Court case from 5-10 years ago, and see how lower courts are interpreting it. It's helpful for practitioners and courts, and something law students can research and present effectively.

Inspired to see law enforcement committed to justice, even when that means acknowledging weak evidence and mysteriously-destroyed files. I hope @joshsteinnc.bsky.social's office and JSRB can work through the clemency backlog soon!

The weekly free 5m calls are also interrupted by automated messages and reminders that time is almost up. Trying to collaborate on writing a piece with someone inside in NC has been surprisingly expensive for both of us (even the $0.25 text messages)--I can't imagine how I'd feel as a family member.

There will now be 10,000 new ICE agents & 100,000 new detention beds--and few safeguards protecting people from constitutional violations by the feds. Time for states to pass laws allowing people to sue fed agents. Read about it these "converse-1983" statutes here: papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers....

NEW: The 12-year-long lawsuit over conditions at Stateville was settled. The lawsuit helped bring the 100-year-old facilty to a close: news.wttw.com/2025/04/24/1...

Georgia legislators passed one of the most robust laws in the country to protect survivors of abuse from long prison sentences. What is the future for other states? www.themarshallproject.org/2025/04/12/w...

One of my awesome colleagues here at W&L, Professor Catherine Smith, has helped to organize a webinar scheduled for April 9 for lawyers interested in law teaching. Registration link here: udenver.zoom.us/webinar/regi...

Chris Blackwell + Sarah Sax have a story up in @nytimes.com about the brutality of prison strip searches. "A state-imposed violation, which some experience as a form of sexual violence, which costs states and local governments millions in lawsuit settlements..." www.nytimes.com/2025/03/20/o...

One thing I never thought about until doing this story: How bad sleep in jail leads to poor legal outcomes. People are so tired they have trouble participating in their defense & lawyers say some clients are so exhausted they take plea deals they might have otherwise avoided. tinyurl.com/47eun36u

An incarcerated writer shares what it was like when Hurricane Helene hit a North Carolina prison.