The Legal Updates Fall 2017 column contains cases which address the following issues:

• Federal Appeals Court upholds confession of "Making of a Murderer" subject Brendan Dassey
• Massachusetts Supreme Court confirms that minimization/maximization techniques are appropriate
• The value of recording interrogations - demonstrating a knowing waiver of rights
• The value of recording interrogations - demonstrating a violation of rights
• The value of recording interrogations in determining custody
• Value of recording interrogations in examining the claim of intoxication
• Value of recording to assess understanding and waiver of rights
• Value of recording interrogations to determine if the suspect's will was overborne by promises of leniency
• Court rules that the use of the Reid Technique did not violate the defendant's due process rights
• Court finds juvenile confession involuntary: noting that as in the Elias case, the investigators did not appropriately change their approach for a juvenile interrogation
• Court rejects the testimony of Dr. Brian Cutler on false confession issues