In the immediate aftermath of the Civil War, federal officials captured, imprisoned, and indicted Jefferson Davis for treason. If found guilty, the former Confederate president faced execution for his role in levying war against the United States. Although the federal government pursued the charges for over four years, the case never went to trial. In this comprehensive analysis of the saga, Treason on Trial, Robert Icenhauer-Ramirez suggests that while national politics played a role in the trial’s direction, the actions of lesser-known individuals ultimately resulted in the failure to convict Davis. Early on, two primary factions argued against trying the case. Influential northerners dreaded the prospect of a public trial, fearing it would reopen the wounds of the war and make a martyr of Davis. Conversely, white southerners pointed to the treatment and prosecution of Davis as vindictive on the part of the federal government. Moreover, they maintained, the right to secede from the Union remained within the bounds of the law, effectively linking the treason charge against Davis with the constitutionality of secession. While Icenhauer-Ramirez agrees that politics played a role in the case, he suggests that focusing exclusively on that aspect obscures the importance of the participants. In the United States of America v. Jefferson Davis, preeminent lawyers represented both parties. According to Icenhauer-Ramirez, Lucius H. Chandler, the local prosecuting attorney, lacked the skill and temperament necessary to put the case on a footing that would lead to trial. In addition, Supreme Court Chief Justice Salmon P. Chase had little desire to preside over the divisive case and intentionally stymied the prosecution’s efforts. The deft analysis in Treason on Trial illustrates how complications caused by Chandler and Chase led to a three-year delay and, eventually, to the dismissal of the case in 1868, when President Andrew Johnson granted blanket amnesty to those who participated in the armed rebellion.

Briefs of Leading Cases in Law Enforcement, Ninth Edition, offers extensive updates on the leading Supreme Court cases impacting law enforcement in the United States, creating a must-have reference for police officers to stay up-to-date and have a strong understanding of the law and their function within it. All cases are briefed in a common format to allow for comparisons among cases and include facts, relevant issues, and the Court’s decision and reasoning. The significance of each case is also explained, making clear its impact on citizens and law enforcement. The book provides students and practitioners with historical and social context for their role in criminal justice and the legal guidelines that should be followed in day-to-day policing activities. Two new chapters have been added on Searches by Dogs (featuring United States v. Place, Illinois v. Caballes, Florida v. Harris, and Florida v. Jardines) and Computer/Cell Phone Searches (featuring Riley v. California). Additional new cases include: • In Chapter 4, covering Arrests and Other Seizures of Persons: Bailey v. United States • In Chapter 5, covering Seizures of Things: Missouri v. McNeely and Maryland v. King • In Chapter 6, covering Searches in General: Kentucky v. King • In Chapter 8, covering Searches With Consent: Fernandez v. California • In Chapter 9, covering Vehicle Stops and Searches: Navarette v. California • In Chapter 12, covering Electronic Surveillance: United States v. Jones • In Chapter 16, covering, Use of Force: Plumhoff v. Rickard • In Chapter 17, covering Confessions and Admissions: Cases Affirming Miranda: J.D.B v. North Carolina • In Chapter 18, covering Confessions and Admissions: Cases Weakening Miranda: Salinas v. Texas • In Chapter 23, covering Legal Liabilities: Messerschmidt v. Millender

This concise guide focuses on the criminal lawyer's most common questions about immigration law and representing noncitizens, from Who exactly is an alien? to Are removal hearings conducted like criminal proceedings?

One of the most respected and influential scholars of religious liberty in our time, Douglas Laycock has argued many crucial religious liberty cases in the U.S. appellate courts and Supreme Court. His noteworthy scholarly and popular writings are being collected in four comprehensive volumes under the title Religious Liberty. This first volume gives the big picture of religious liberty in the United States, fitting a vast range of disparate disputes into a coherent pattern - from public school prayers to private school vouchers to regulation of churches and believers. Laycock's clear overviews provide the broad, historical, helpful context often lacking in today's press.