This 2024 edition of the Eighth Circuit Criminal Handbook guides the practitioner through every topic in the Eighth Circuit's criminal law jurisprudence and procedure. This new edition examines the amended language to the Federal Rules of Evidence, Rule 702, which was revised to clarify the existing rule and remedy perceived misapplication of the Rule’s gatekeeping function by trial courts. Also highlighted are the: (i) 2023 Amendments to the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines; (ii) factors where the court can now consider whether past criminal-history factors can be disclosed during post-trial procedures and sentencing; and (iii) recently decided Supreme Court cases relevant to the Eighth Circuit.

The Eighth Circuit Criminal Handbook is the latest and newest addition to the LexisNexis Circuit Criminal Handbook series, offering an in-depth and conceptual guide to the legal doctrine, jurisprudence, and procedures that every practitioner must be aware of to successfully litigate a criminal case in the Eighth Circuit (comprising the states of: Iowa, Arkansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Missouri). The handbook is specifically tailored to examine the quirks and provide the essential inside knowledge that a practitioner must be aware of to successfully prosecute or defend a criminal case in the Eighth Circuit. Covering hundreds of criminal issues, this single volume resource is broad enough to provide an excellent introduction for the newcomer to Eighth Circuit criminal practice, yet also detailed enough to become a trusted resource for veteran practitioners and judges.

Using precise, straightforward language, this essential resource analyzes a multitude of topics in the context of Eighth Circuit practice, including but not limited to:

Trial Procedures: from miscellaneous pre-trial issues to trial to the appellate process

Selected Criminal Offenses

Federal Rules of Evidence

Federal Criminal Procedure

Search and Seizure

Grand Jury

Appeals and Post-Conviction Issues