Under the direction of Tim Lynch, Cato's Project on Criminal Justice has become a leading voice in support of the Bill of Rights and civil liberties. His research interests include the war on terrorism, overcriminalization, the drug war, the militarization of police tactics, and gun control. In 2000, he served on the National Committee to Prevent Wrongful Executions. Lynch has also filed several amicus briefs in the U.S. Supreme Court in cases involving constitutional rights. He is the editor of In the Name of Justice: Leading Experts Reexamine the Classic Article "The Aims of the Criminal Law" and After Prohibition: An Adult Approach to Drug Policies in the 21st Century. Since joining Cato in 1991, Lynch has published articles in the New York Times, the Washington Post, the Wall Street Journal, the Los Angeles Times, ABA Journal, and the National Law Journal. He has appeared on The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, NBC Nightly News, ABC World News Tonight, Fox's The O'Reilly Factor, and C-SPAN's Washington Journal. Lynch is a member of the Wisconsin, District of Columbia, and Supreme Court bars. He earned both a B.S. and a J.D. from Marquette University.
Media Contact: 202-789-5200
To Book a Speaking Engagement: 202-789-5226
E-Mail: tlynch@cato.org
In the Name of Justice: Leading Experts Reexamine the Classic Article "The Aims of the Criminal Law", editor (2009).
"Civil Liberties and Terrorism," Chapter 27 of the Cato Handbook for Policymakers, 7th edition.
"The War on Drugs," Chapter 33 of the Cato Handbook for Policymakers, 7th edition.
"One Cheer for United States v. Booker," Chapter 10 of the Cato Supreme Court Review, 2004-2005 Timothy Lynch, co-editor and contributor (2005)
"A Smooth Transition: Crime, Federalism, and the GOP," Chapter 15 of The Republican Revolution 10 Years Later.
"Doublespeak and the War on Terrorism," Briefing Paper no. 98, September 6, 2006.
"Power Surge: The Constitutional Record of George W. Bush," by Gene Healy and Tim Lynch, White Paper, May 1, 2006.
"A Grand Façade: How the Grand Jury Was Captured by Government," by W. Thomas Dillard, Stephen R. Johnson and Tim Lynch, Policy Analysis no. 476, May 13, 2003.
"Breaking the Vicious Cycle: Preserving Our Liberties While Fighting Terrorism," Policy Analysis no. 443, June 26, 2002.
"No Confidence: An Unofficial Account of the Waco Incident," Policy Analysis no. 395, April 9, 2001.
"The Case Against Plea Bargaining," Regulation, Vol. 26, issue 3 (2003).
"Review Essay: The Enterprise of Law," Cato Journal, Vol. 12, issue 1 (1992).
"Get Serious about Decriminalizing Drugs; Others Are," by Tim Lynch and Juan Carlos Hidalgo, San Jose Mercury News, September 29, 2009
"Protection Racket," National Review (Online), May 23, 2008
"Stop the Demagoguery," Legal Times, September 3, 2007
"Hate This," National Review (Online), May 3, 2007
"Gonzales Must Go," Cato.org, May 2, 2007
"New Trial For Cory Maye," November 18, 2009
"John Yoo on Civilian Trials for Terrorism Cases," November 17, 2009
"Gitmo Prisoners to NY for Trial," November 13, 2009
"Problems with 911 ," November 11, 2009
"Prosecutorial Immunity," November 10, 2009
Pottawattamie County v. McGhee, September 18, 2009 (PDF, 4 MB)
Safford Unified School District No.1 v. Redding, April 2, 2009 (PDF, 2 MB)
Al-Marri v. Spagone, January 29, 2009 (PDF, 175 KB)
Boumediene v. Bush, August 29, 2007 (PDF, 139 KB)
Philip Morris v. Williams, July 28, 2006 (PDF, 364 KB)
"The Criminalization of (Almost) Everything," October 1, 2009 [Book Forum]
"Federal Drug Policy: Time to Shift Priorities," July 7, 2009 [Capitol Hill Briefing]
"Fusion Centers: Domestic Spying or Sensible Surveillance?," June 11, 2009 [Policy Forum]
"Drug Decriminalization in Portugal," April 3, 2009 [Policy Forum]
"The Politics and Science of Medical Marijuana," March 17, 2009 [Policy Forum]
"Over-Criminalization of Conduct/Over-Federalization of Criminal Law," Congressional Testimony, July 22, 2009.
"The Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007," Congressional Testimony, April 17, 2007.
"Executive Branch Arrests and Trials (Military Tribunals)," Congressional Testimony, December 4, 2001.
"The Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 1999," Testimony Before the Senate Judiciary Committee, May 11, 1999.
Tim Lynch discusses the GITMO trails on KOGO's Mornings with Chip Franklin November 16, 2009 [Flash Audio, 07:56]
Tim Lynch discusses legalizing medical marijuana on CNN October 22, 2009 [Flash Video, 06:07]
Tim Lynch discusses legalizing medical marijuana on WBAL's The Ron Smith Show October 19, 2009 [Flash Audio, 13:26]
Tim Lynch discusses hate crime legislation on NPR affiliate KPCC's The Pat Morrison Show October 12, 2009 [Flash Audio, 25:58]
Tim Lynch discusses hosts the Cato book event "Three Felonies a Day" on C-SPAN October 1, 2009 [Flash Video, 11:49]