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Wrongful Convictions

This is a guide originally prepared for law students in a research seminar on wrongful convictions. Updated Oct. 2, 2020.

Major Treatises

Major treatises are often written by highly respected legal scholars and practitioners. They are among the most valuable secondary resources because they analyze the existing common law and may promote areas of legal reform. They are useful as a first place to begin your legal research because they typically provide links to significant cases and laws in the topic. They may also provide extensive bibliographies to other other helpful resources on the topic. Multivolume treatises usually do not circulate but you may have access to them from Lexis, Westlaw or other online resources. Ebooks and Online Resources accessible to Case Law Users Only

  • Garrett Beaumont, Avoiding Reversible Error in Criminal Cases (2013).
  • Nancy M. Burkoff & John M. Burkoff, Ineffective Assistance of Counsel (2013).
  • Bennett L. Gershman, Prosecutorial Misconduct (2002-date).
  • Paul C. Giannelli et al., Scientific Evidence (5th ed., 2012-date).
  • Wayne R. LaFave et al., Criminal Procedure (4th ed., 2007-date).
  • Joseph F. Lawless, Prosecutorial Misconduct (4th ed. 2008-date).
  • Brian R. Means, Post Conviction Remedies (Annual Publication). (2018). 
  • Victor L. Streib, Sam Kamin & Justin Marceau, Death Penalty in a Nutshell (5th ed., 2017). 
  • Donald E. Wilkes,  Federal Post Conviction Remedies Handbook (2010-date).

Selected Monographs