New Mexico Law Review Symposium examining the New Mexico Civil Rights Act, which effectively ends qualified immunity for the state

Anyone interested in qualified immunity must pay close attention to New Mexico, which passed an act effectively ending qualified immunity in 2021. New Mexico Law Review held a terrific symposium about the statute, and the symposium issue (with my keynote) is out now. The entire symposium issue is at: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/nmlr/ and my keynote is here: https://digitalrepository.unm.edu/nmlr/vol54/iss2/3/

In addition to the articles, the symposium was terrific - a panel of legislators & commissioners spoke about getting the bill passed & another panel was lawyers who litigate these novel claims. Those thinking about enacting similar statutes must watch: https://nmlr.unm.edu/special-content/index.html.

Shielded won the American Bar Association's Silver Gavel Award!

I am over the moon that my book, Shielded: How the Police Became Untouchable, has won the American Bar Association's Silver Gavel award.

The award is meant to recognize works “exemplary in fostering the American public’s understanding of law and the legal system,” and that is just what I aimed to do with Shielded - explain the many legal & bureaucratic barriers that make it so difficult for people wronged by police to get justice in the courts.

I describe these barriers and their impact through the stories of people whose lives were upended by police misconduct and then upended again by the courts. Learn about them on my website here, or in interviews I did on Fresh Air and Strict Scrutiny - or, heck, just get the book at bit.ly/ShieldedBook.

The other amazing finalists for this award illuminate the criminal legal system, the Supreme Court’s shadow docket, campaign $, free speech, FDR’s Supreme Court, and the Espionage Act - you should read them all too. https://www.americanbar.org/news/abanews/aba-news-archives/2024/03/aba-names-silver-gavel-finalists/ I am honored to be in their company. And thanks to the ABA for this award! 

https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/murder-and-democracy-are-among-topics-addressed-by-2024-silver-gavel-winners#google_vignette

Shielded reviewed in the Harvard Law Review

Brandon Hasbrouck has published an exceedingly generous and thought-provoking review of Shielded in the Harvard Law Review. Brandon is an extraordinary writer and thinker - I am so appreciative that he directed those considerable talents to my book. Check it out!

The whole review can be found here: https://harvardlawreview.org/print/vol-137/unshielded-how-the-police-can-become-touchable/