The Slow Erosion of the Adversary System: Article III Courts, FISA, CIPA and Ethical Dilemmas

Authors

Ellen C. Yaroshefsky, Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law

Abstract

The article examines the increasing reliance on secret evidence in U.S. legal proceedings, particularly in post-9/11 national security and terrorism cases, facilitated by the Classified Information Procedures Act (CIPA) and the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). This trend undermines the adversarial system by denying defendants access to relevant information, raising ethical concerns for defense attorneys, and potentially eroding constitutional rights. The author advocates for reforms to balance national security with civil liberties, emphasizing the need for judicial vigilance and legislative changes to address these issues.

Disciplines

Communications Law | Courts | Evidence | Jurisprudence | Law | National Security Law

Recommended Citation

Ellen C. Yaroshefsky, The Slow Erosion of the Adversary System: Article III Courts, FISA, CIPA and Ethical Dilemmas, 5 Cardozo Pub. L. Pol’y & Ethics J. 203 (2006).
Available at: https://larc.cardozo.yu.edu/cplpej/vol5/iss1/15