Case Alex Khalil Smith v. The State Court Supreme Court of Georgia Judge LAND (Brian Kemp, 2025) Date Decided April
Case Sneed v. The State Court Supreme Court of Georgia Judge LAGRUA (Brian Kemp, 2020) Date Decided April 21, 2026
Case Morris Charles Spann v. The State Court Supreme Court of Georgia Judge PINSON (Brian Kemp, 2022) Date Decided April
Case Willie Hobby v. Commissioner of Correction Court Connecticut Appellate Court Judge SUAREZ (Ned Lamont, 2020); Westbrook (Ned Lamont, 2023)
Case State of Connecticut v. Edwin Franqui Court Connecticut Supreme Court Judge McDonald (Dannel P. Malloy, 2013) Date Decided April
Case Miguel Vega v. Commissioner of Correction Court Connecticut Supreme Court Judge D’Auria (Dannel P. Malloy, 2017) Date Decided April
Sixth District reverses dismissal of multiple criminal cases under Penal Code section 1001.36 mental health diversion, holding that a defendant who commits several dozen new crimes during diversion has not substantially performed the diversion requirements regardless of progress made afterward.
Case State of Washington v. Harlan W. Blackburn Court Washington Court of Appeals, Division One Judge COBURN (elected 2020) Date
Case The State of Washington v. Samuel Leon Dugan Court Washington Court of Appeals, Division One Judge BOWMAN (Jay Inslee,
Case State of Minnesota v. Joseph William Finfrock Court Minnesota Court of Appeals Judge Schmidt (Tim Walz, 2023) Date Decided
The California Supreme Court affirms the convictions and Bertsch’s death sentence in this 1985 kidnap-rape-murder case but reverses Hronis’s death sentence because of post-trial changes in the law governing a defendant’s mental competency to represent himself.
Case State of Iowa v. Dillon Michael Heiller Court Iowa Supreme Court Judge McDonald (Kim Reynolds, 2019) Date Decided April
Case His Majesty The King v. Thi Huyen Nguyen, Thi Hong Cun and Alexander Nguyen Court Supreme Court of Canada
First District holds that trial counsel’s failure to request a free court reporter for an antipsychotic medication renewal hearing constituted ineffective assistance of counsel and reverses the order authorizing involuntary medication, remanding for a new hearing.
Case Joseph Zieler v. State of Florida Court Supreme Court of Florida Judge Per Curiam Date Decided April 16, 2026
Case State of Oklahoma v. Cody Owen Russell Court Oklahoma Court of Criminal Appeals Date Decided April 16, 2026 Docket
Case [Plaintiff Father and Minor Sibling-Plaintiff] v. [Defendant Driver, Vehicle Owner, and Mandatory Liability Insurer] — Moral Damages (Traffic Fatality)
Case Plaintiffs (Mother and Siblings of Deceased) v. Defendant Insurance Company — Loss of Support Following Fatal Traffic Accident Court
Fourth District grants writ of mandate disqualifying a judge from presiding over a California Racial Justice Act hearing because her prior service as a homicide prosecutor in the same District Attorney’s Office whose charging practices are under review created an appearance of bias.
Fourth District reverses conviction where the trial court forced the defendant to choose between asserting a valid entrapment defense and admission of decades-old sexual misconduct evidence from his teenage years, holding that the conditioning violated his constitutional right to present a defense.
Case State of Ohio v. Patricia Hauser Court Ohio Court of Appeals, First Appellate District Judge Bock (elected 2020) Date
Case State of Ohio v. Cierra Snow Court Ohio Court of Appeals, First Appellate District Judge NESTOR (elected 2024) Date
Case [Redacted Plaintiffs] v. [Redacted Driver, Vehicle Owner, and Insurer] — Traffic Wrongful Death Damages Court Antalya Bölge Adliye Mahkemesi
First District holds that placement in a family member’s home with community-based programming and supervision can qualify as a “less restrictive program” under Welfare and Institutions Code section 875(f), even though the appeal was dismissed as moot after the youth was placed wit