Alerte V. McGinnis


Book Description




Judicial Integrity


Book Description

Traditional separation of powers theories assumed that governmental despotism will be prevented by dividing the branches of government which will check one another. Modern governments function with unexpected complicity among these branches. Sometimes one of the branches becomes overwhelming. Other governmental structures, however, tend to mitigate these tendencies to domination. Among other structures courts have achieved considerable autonomy vis-à-vis the traditional political branches of power. They tend to maintain considerable distance from political parties in the name of professionalism and expertise. The conditions and criteria of independence are not clear, and even less clear are the conditions of institutional integrity. Independence (including depolitization) of public institutions is of particular practical relevance in the post-Communist countries where political partisanship penetrated institutions under the single party system. Institutional integrity, particularly in the context of administration of justice, became a precondition for accession to the European Union. Given this practical challenge the present volume is centered around three key areas of institutional integrity, primarily within the administration of justice: First, in a broader theoretical-interdisciplinary context the criteria of institutional independence are discussed. The second major issue is the relation of neutralized institutions to branches of government with reference to accountability. Thirdly, comparative experience regarding judicial independence is discussed to determine techniques to enhance integrity.










Martindale-Hubbell Law Directory


Book Description




Asset Forfeiture Law in the United States - Second Edition


Book Description

Asset Forfeiture Law in the United States - Second Edition serves as both a primer on forfeiture law for the newcomer to this area, as well as a handy resource for anyone needing a comprehensive discussion of any of the recurring and evolving forfeiture issues that arise daily in federal practice. The author is one of the federal government's leading experts on asset forfeiture law. As a federal prosecutor, he has been litigating asset forfeiture cases since the late 1980's, was a Deputy Chief of the Justice Department’s Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section for many years, and is now the Chief of the Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section in the U.S. Attorney's Office in Baltimore, MD. Asset Forfeiture Law in the United States - Second Edition is a completely revised and up-to-date treatise that addresses important changes and significant developments in civil and criminal forfeiture law. Every chapter has been rewritten as a result of the explosive growth in this area of law and practice. This comprehensive one-volume resource examines and explores the outpouring of new case law stemming from federal law enforcement agencies that include the FBI, DEA, IRS and Homeland Security. The Second Edition continues to lead the practitioner, prosecutor, judge and policy maker through the labyrinth of statues, rules and cases that govern this dynamic area of the law. Many countries in Europe, Asia and Africa, as well as Australia and the Americas, have enacted asset forfeiture statutes modeled on U.S. law, making the cases interpreting the statutes relevant beyond the borders of the United States.