The U.S. Supreme Court seemed sympathetic on Feb. 26 to the arguments of an Ohio woman who alleges the state demoted her because she is heterosexual. The court heard oral argument in Ames v. Ohio Department of Youth Services. Petitioner … Continue reading Supreme Court leans in favor of Ohio state employee claiming demotion because she’s straight

The Supreme Court considered on Feb. 25 what factors federal judges may weigh when revoking a person’s supervised release and sentencing them for violating release conditions. Supervised release is a form of post-prison monitoring, similar to parole. A prisoner is … Continue reading Supreme Court grapples with dispute over supervised release revocations

The U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 25 voted 5–3 to throw out the murder conviction of Oklahoma death row inmate Richard Eugene Glossip after the state admitted the prosecution was flawed. The court’s majority opinion was written by Justice Sonia … Continue reading Supreme Court orders retrial of Oklahoma death row inmate

The Supreme Court on Feb. 25 is considering what factors federal judges may weigh when revoking a person’s supervised release and sentencing him or her for violating release conditions. In supervised release, a prisoner is released from custody but is … Continue reading Supreme Court hears dispute over supervised release conditions

The Supreme Court decided on Feb. 24 not to hear a case challenging a 25-year-old precedent allowing governments to forbid outreach within a so-called bubble zone outside abortion clinics. The nation’s highest court did not explain its new, unsigned order … Continue reading Supreme Court will not review ruling limiting pro-life counseling outside abortion clinics

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously that a whistleblower’s fraud lawsuit against a Wisconsin telecommunications company for allegedly overcharging schools for internet services may move forward. Justice Elena Kagan wrote the court’s 9–0 opinion in Wisconsin Bell Inc. v. United … Continue reading Supreme Court allows whistleblower suit against Wisconsin Bell

The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously sided with Hungary on Feb. 21, ruling that a group of foreigners may not sue that country in U.S. courts over Holocaust-era asset seizures. Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote the court’s 9–0 opinion in Republic of … Continue reading Supreme Court blocks lawsuit against Hungary for seizing assets during the Holocaust

A federal district judge on Feb. 21 issued an order partly blocking President Donald Trump’s executive orders withdrawing support for so-called diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs. U.S. District Judge Adam Abelson in Maryland granted a preliminary injunction against the … Continue reading Judge partially blocks Trump’s orders curbing DEI programs

The U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 21 declined to allow the Trump administration to immediately fire Office of Special Counsel chief Hampton Dellinger. This is the first time that the Supreme Court has weighed in on an action taken by … Continue reading Supreme Court declines to allow Trump admin to immediately fire watchdog official

Two lawsuits were filed on Feb. 20 against the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) and President Donald Trump’s executive orders that curb the government’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and disavow transgender ideology. Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in … Continue reading New lawsuits challenge Trump’s DEI policies, DOGE operations

A coalition of activist groups is suing the federal government over President Donald Trump’s executive orders that curtail the government’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs and reject transgender ideology. The new lawsuit, known as National Urban League v. Trump, … Continue reading Groups sue over Trump’s executive orders aimed at DEI and transgender ideology

New York state’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) sued the federal government on Feb. 19 for canceling a tolling program that the agency said was aimed at relieving traffic congestion in New York City. Under the program, which debuted on Jan. … Continue reading Transit agency sues federal government for canceling Manhattan toll program

The head of a whistleblower-protection agency whom the Trump administration wants to fire urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 18 to leave in place a lower court order blocking the firing. The closely watched emergency government application, Bessent v. … Continue reading Head of whistleblower agency urges Supreme Court to reverse firing by Trump administration

The Trump administration asked the U.S. Supreme Court on Feb. 16 to allow it to fire the head of an agency that protects whistleblowers after lower courts said it could not. Special counsel Hampton Dellinger, who heads the U.S. Office … Continue reading Trump administration asks Supreme Court to permit firing of Office of Special Counsel chief

U.S. District Judge Tanya Chutkan on Feb. 14 delayed ruling on 14 states’ request that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) be barred from accessing government information systems. At a hearing in the case of New Mexico v. Musk, the … Continue reading Federal judge delays ruling on restraining order against DOGE and Musk

The U.S. Supreme Court said on Feb. 10 that it will hear two environmental regulation cases next month after it rejected a Department of Justice (DOJ) request last week to halt them. The announcement that oral arguments in the two … Continue reading Supreme Court schedules hearings for Biden-era environmental cases it declined to freeze

The U.S. Supreme Court announced on Feb. 10 that it will hear South Carolina’s bid to stop Planned Parenthood from taking part in the state’s Medicaid program on April 2. Medicaid is a joint federal-state program that offers health insurance … Continue reading Supreme Court to hear South Carolina’s challenge to Planned Parenthood in April

Businessman Steve Wynn is asking the U.S. Supreme Court to roll back protections for journalists in defamation lawsuits. The high court docketed the new petition in Wynn v. The Associated Press (AP), making the petition public on Feb. 4. AP … Continue reading Casino magnate asks Supreme Court to reconsider rulings shielding journalists

The U.S. Supreme Court will consider on Feb. 21 whether to hear a challenge to its controversial 20-year-old ruling upholding eminent domain powers to seize private property for private economic development. The new case was brought by a development company … Continue reading Supreme Court may hear challenge to eminent domain ruling

Republicans in the U.S. Senate proposed a new constitutional amendment on Feb. 7 that would prevent federal lawmakers from increasing the number of justices—currently nine—on the U.S. Supreme Court. The new joint congressional resolution, the Keep Nine Amendment, was introduced … Continue reading Senate GOP proposes constitutional amendment to limit size of Supreme Court