Keywords
Hyde Amendment, prosecutorial discretion, criminal justice system, enforcement
Abstract
This Comment first describes federal prosecutors' broad charging discretion and the resulting potential for abuse. It then discusses how current interpretations of the Hyde Amendment have failed to establish a standard of conduct for federal prosecutors different from that established by preexisting laws, internal regulations, and ethics rules. Finally, it argues that the Hyde Amendment offers the courts an important opportunity to issue opinions detailing how federal prosecutors should exercise their charging discretion. This Comment concludes that courts should take advantage of this opportunity to establish a more exact standard of conduct for prosecutors conducting investigations and thereby offer defendants needed financial reimbursement after a vexatious, frivolous, or bad faith prosecution.
Recommended Citation
Lynn R. Singband,
The Hyde Amendment and Prosecutorial Investigation: The Promise of Protection for Criminal Defendants,
28 Fordham Urb. L.J. 1967
(2001).
Available at: https://ir.lawnet.fordham.edu/ulj/vol28/iss6/8