The Supreme Court will hear an appeal about which court has authority over the case of oil refineries seeking an exemption from a renewable fuel mandate. The justices granted the petition in U.S. Environmental Protection Agency v. Calumet Shreveport Refining … Continue reading Supreme Court takes up oil refineries’ appeal over renewable fuels

The Supreme Court on Oct. 21 decided against hearing an appeal aimed at giving the president the power to fire leaders of independent federal agencies. The justices denied the petition in Consumers’ Research v. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) without … Continue reading Supreme Court turns away lawsuit claiming president has power to fire independent agency leaders

The Supreme Court on Oct. 21 said it will hear Oklahoma’s case claiming that state disputes over a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) policy should be heard in regional circuit courts, rather than in Washington. At issue is the EPA’s … Continue reading Supreme Court will hear Oklahoma challenge over EPA ‘good neighbor’ smog rule

The Supreme Court overturned the murder conviction of a Texas man who argued that the prosecution’s use of a medical expert who had not performed an autopsy on the victim violated his constitutional rights. The case of Jared Holton Seavey … Continue reading Supreme Court overturns Texas murder conviction over expert witness testimony

Missouri, Idaho, and Kansas renewed their lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the abortion pill mifepristone months after the Supreme Court refused to invalidate approval of the pill. Access to abortion is a political issue in … Continue reading Three states renew lawsuit against FDA over abortion pill regulations

The Supreme Court on Oct. 18 scheduled argument in the federal government’s challenge to a Tennessee law that bans puberty blockers and medical treatments for minors who identify as transgender. The hearing in United States v. Skrmetti will take place … Continue reading Supreme Court schedules argument in high-profile lawsuit over Tennessee’s ban on transgender treatments for minors

The Supreme Court won’t hear former attorney Michael Avenatti’s appeal over his conviction for misappropriating nearly $300,000 in book proceeds earmarked for his former client, adult film actress Stephanie Clifford, known as Stormy Daniels. Avenatti represented Clifford in a lawsuit … Continue reading Supreme Court rejects Michael Avenatti appeal in Stormy Daniels book case

Supreme Court justices on Oct. 16 heard arguments in a challenge to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) wastewater discharge permitting system, which San Francisco claims violates federal law. The city and county of San Francisco argue in the appeal … Continue reading Supreme Court grapples with San Francisco’s challenge to EPA wastewater permit rules

The Supreme Court denied an emergency request late Oct. 16 to block a new federal regulation restricting emissions by coal-fired power plants, but two justices suggested it may revisit the case. The new decision was made after a series of … Continue reading Supreme Court declines to halt EPA’s new climate regulation for power plants

Several U.S. Supreme Court justices seemed sympathetic during Oct. 15 oral argument to a truck driver who was fired after failing a drug test following consumption of a product marketed as drug-free. Respondent Douglas Horn was let go from his … Continue reading Justices weigh whether truck driver fired over drug test has RICO standing

The Supreme Court on Oct. 15 revived a citizen journalist’s lawsuit against Laredo, Texas, in which she claims that officials arrested her for pursuing information from a police source. Major news organizations and journalism nonprofits had spoken out in favor … Continue reading Supreme Court resurrects lawsuit of journalist arrested after seeking information

Pro-abortion state and local governments are filing lawsuits to shut down pro-life pregnancy help organizations that encourage women considering an abortion to seek alternatives. Pregnancy help organizations, or PHOs, are pro-life nonprofits that provide a range of services to women … Continue reading In wake of Roe reversal, abortion-related legal battles increase

Oklahoma urged the U.S. Supreme Court on Oct. 9 to throw out the murder conviction of Richard Eugene Glossip after the state admitted the prosecution was flawed. The nation’s highest court decided on Jan. 22 to hear his appeal after … Continue reading Supreme Court urged to order new trial for Oklahoma death row inmate

Plaintiffs who enjoy partial success in civil rights lawsuits should not be entitled to have the governments they sue cover their attorneys’ fees, the Supreme Court heard on Oct. 8. The justices heard oral arguments in Lackey v. Stinnie, which … Continue reading Supreme Court grapples with whether motorists who won injunction should get attorney’s fees

A charter school board in Oklahoma has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to review a state court ruling denying authorization for the nation’s first publicly-funded religious charter school. The board’s attorneys at the Alliance Defending Freedom (ADF) said the petition … Continue reading Religious Oklahoma school asks Supreme Court to review state’s denial of its charter status

Pet food makers fending off a consumer class action lawsuit told the Supreme Court on Oct. 7 that a lower court ruling allowing the suit should be overturned. The manufacturers say the consumers engaged in forum-shopping, a frowned upon practice … Continue reading Supreme Court hears case about judge-shopping in pet food claim

The Supreme Court on Oct. 7 rejected a Republican challenge to President Joe Biden’s executive order that increased government involvement in the voter registration and voter mobilization process. The justices denied the petition in Keefer v. Biden without comment. No … Continue reading Supreme Court won’t hear challenge to Biden’s order on voter registration

The Supreme Court will soon consider whether plaintiffs who enjoy partial success in civil rights lawsuits are entitled to have the governments they sue compensate them for attorney’s fees. Both civil rights activists and governments say the stakes are high. … Continue reading Supreme Court to consider whether states have to pay attorney fees

The U.S. Supreme Court decided on Oct. 4 to hear the death row appeal of Ruben Gutierrez, who argues that DNA testing of the crime scene evidence would clear him. The court granted the petition in Gutierrez v. Saenz without … Continue reading Supreme Court to hear Texas death row challenge to DNA testing rules

The Supreme Court declined on Oct. 4 to halt Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations limiting industry emissions of mercury and methane. The rulings came in a bundle of orders in several pending emergency applications. No justices dissented. The court did … Continue reading Supreme Court won’t halt EPA’s mercury and methane regulations