Despite a federal jury acquitting Terence Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne for the murder of a Virginia police officer nearly 25 years ago, the two men remain in prison for the crime. But with new evidence and a new lawyer, they're hoping to reverse the fraught, state-level guilty pleas that a federal judge later relied on to sentence them both to life behind bars.
Law360
Access to Justice
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 1, 2024 Law360 iOS App Law360 Android App Follow Law360 on Facebook Follow Law360 on LinkedIn Follow Law360 on Twitter

A2J_instagram.png

A Jury Found Them Not Guilty. They're Still Serving Life

By Rachel Rippetoe

Despite a federal jury acquitting Terence Richardson and Ferrone Claiborne for the murder of a Virginia police officer nearly 25 years ago, the two men remain in prison for the crime. But with new evidence and a new lawyer, they're hoping to reverse the fraught, state-level guilty pleas that a federal judge later relied on to sentence them both to life behind bars.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

As Climate Change Fuels Disasters, Legal Aid Needs Grow

By Alison Knezevich

As the number of extreme weather events increases amid a changing climate, nonprofit legal organizations that serve low-income legal clients project increased demand for services related to natural disasters.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Pro Bono Spotlight

How A Mayer Brown-Led Coalition Secured 143 Asylum Grants

By Andrea Keckley

A Mayer Brown LLP-led coalition of 20 law firms celebrated a major pro bono victory after recently securing asylum for 143 Asian University for Women students who the firm helped evacuate from Afghanistan in 2021.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Immigrant Legal Aid Group Sues Over Texas AG's Probe

By Andrea Keckley

The nonprofit legal services provider Las Americas Immigrant Advocacy Center filed a federal lawsuit Wednesday accusing Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton of trying to chill protected activity — suing two days before it was due to turn over information from the low-income immigrants it serves to the AG.

Complaint attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Texas Bar Seeks Non-Atty Rule Changes To Fill Justice Gap

By Lynn LaRowe

The State Bar of Texas on Friday laid out a series of proposed changes to pending rules set forth by the state Supreme Court for allowing non-attorneys to perform some legal services, citing the need to increase the educational requirements and prohibit certain fee arrangements.

Comments attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Ohio Judge Removed For Jailing People Over Court Costs

By Ryan Harroff

The Ohio Supreme Court removed a state municipal judge from the bench and suspended him from practicing law for 18 months after he jailed two people for failing to pay court costs and coerced 14 others into paying fines and costs by threatening to lock them up without due process.

2 documents attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

8th Circ. Says No Detention Time Limit For Deportees

By Britain Eakin

The Eighth Circuit has ruled that a district court wrongly determined that the due process rights of an Ivory Coast native convicted of robbery were violated after he spent a year in federal custody waiting for a removal decision.

Opinion attached | Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Pro Bono Platform Launches Election Protection Portal

By Matt Perez

Free legal assistance platform Paladin announced the launch of a new volunteer portal for attorneys and other professionals focused on election protection.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Perspectives

DC Circ. Seizure Ruling Deepens 4th Amendment Circuit Split

The D.C. Circuit’s recent Asinor v. District of Columbia decision, holding that the government’s continued possession of seized property must be reasonable, furthers a split among circuit courts and portends how the text, history and tradition method might influence Fourth Amendment cases, say Ty Howard and Wayne Beckermann at Bradley Arant.

Read full article » | Save to favorites »

Promo that reads Law360 Pulse Compensation Report Promo that reads 2024 Regional Powerhouses

LAW FIRMS IN TODAY'S NEWS

Bradley Arant

Clifford Chance

Dentons

Holland & Knight

Mayer Brown

Montgomery Jonson

Wilson Sonsini

Winston & Strawn

COMPANIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

American Bar Association

American Civil Liberties Union

Legal Aid Justice Center

Legal Aid of Southeastern Pennsylvania

Pro Bono Net Inc.

State Bar of Texas

Texas Civil Rights Project

Texas RioGrande Legal Aid Inc.

The Advocates for Human Rights

The District of Columbia Bar

GOVERNMENT AGENCIES IN TODAY'S NEWS

Federal Emergency Management Agency

Legal Services Corp.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Ohio Supreme Court

Texas Attorney General's Office

Texas Supreme Court

U.S. Attorney's Office for the Middle District of Tennessee

U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eighth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit

U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit

U.S. Department of Commerce

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

U.S. Department of Justice

U.S. District Court for the Western District of Texas

U.S. Supreme Court