Court of Appeals Ruling Could Weaken Interstate Compact Power

On Monday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit issued a decision in United States v. Pleau , siding with the federal government. Considering the case’s broad implications on the federal-state relationship, The Council of State Governments had partnered with the National Governors Association in signing onto an amicus curiae brief opposing the federal government’s position. The issue in the case is whether the federal government can compel state compliance when requesting a prisoner custody transfer under an interstate compact. Jason Wayne Pleau was charged with robbing and...