This issue focuses on the intersection of criminal law issues with nursing practice. Our NCSBN column addresses the issue of criminal background checks in the nursing licensure process. LaTonia Wright's column explores the recent Wisconsin case involving criminal charges for a fatal medication error and its relationship to fatigue and overtime. Our CEU feature this issue provides a primer on healthcare fraud, a tricky area of the law to grasp, but very important for the nurse executive to be aware of. This issue's ethics column addresses the situation of when a patient's choices regarding healthcare issues are not in their best interest, a potentially risky situation for both the patient and the healthcare provider. As always, we hope this issue helps you to navigate the legal issues which arise in your career as a nurse executive.