The Supreme Court ruled unanimously on March 21 that a deaf former student who accuses a Michigan public school system of failing to properly educate him may move forward with his discrimination lawsuit. The decision comes as parents nationwide have … Continue reading Supreme Court OKs deaf student’s discrimination lawsuit against Michigan school district
The Supreme Court heard a dispute on March 20 about whether an Indian tribe can draw water from the Colorado River over the opposition of several thirsty nearby states. The case pits the Navajo Nation, a large Indian reservation occupying … Continue reading Navajo Nation asks Supreme Court to let it access Colorado River water
The Supreme Court threw out a federal appeals court decision on March 20 that upheld the right of a minor to go to court for permission to pursue an abortion without notifying her parents. Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson was the … Continue reading SCOTUS overturns appeals court upholding abortion without parental consent
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is asking the Supreme Court to overturn an appeals court ruling that struck down a federal law preventing people under domestic violence-related restraining orders from having guns. The Biden administration asked in its new … Continue reading Biden DOJ asks Supreme Court to fast-track case that could reinstate federal gun ban
The Supreme Court may soon decide whether to take up a long-running dispute between former President Donald Trump and congressional Democrats over the former Trump International Hotel in the nation’s capital. The justices are scheduled to discuss the case at … Continue reading Supreme Court may wade into fight over Trump’s former DC hotel
A good-government group is suing the District of Columbia to block its new law allowing noncitizens—legal or otherwise—from voting in local elections. The law, which took effect on March 14 after Congress failed to overturn it, authorizes an estimated 50,000 … Continue reading Group sues to block DC law allowing noncitizens to vote in local elections
North Carolina Republicans asked that state’s supreme court on March 14 to restore GOP legislature-approved electoral maps the court previously threw out that could lead to Republican gains in the U.S. Congress and in the state legislature. The hearing in … Continue reading GOP urges North Carolina Supreme Court to let lawmakers, not judges, do redistricting
The Supreme Court has given counsel for a transgender middle school student until March 20 to respond to West Virginia’s emergency application to lift a federal appeals court order blocking the state’s Save Women’s Sports Act from taking effect. The … Continue reading ACLU will ask Supreme Court to block state law banning men from women’s sports
The Supreme Court is asking Congress for a $12 million funding boost in the coming fiscal year to enhance security at the court building and better protect the nine justices. The funding request comes months after a year-end report by … Continue reading Supreme Court seeks extra $12 Million from Congress to counter security threats
A federal lawsuit challenging San Diego’s mandate requiring COVID-19 vaccinations for students as discriminatory is poised to be formally dismissed after the Supreme Court of California struck it down last month. The San Diego Unified School District (SDUSD) was one … Continue reading Group withdraws federal suit challenging San Diego’s no exemption student vaccination mandate
The state of West Virginia and a former collegiate soccer player are asking the Supreme Court to back a state law that bans male student-athletes who present as female from playing on girls’ school sports teams. The legal action comes … Continue reading Supreme Court is asked to take first transgender sports case
A U.S. Supreme Court case that could recognize state legislatures’ power to regulate federal elections without interference from state courts will continue even though a recent action by the high court suggests it may drop the case, the top lawyer … Continue reading SCOTUS case about excluding judges from electoral redistricting will proceed, lawyer for GOP says
The U.S. Supreme Court set aside the death sentences of six convicted murderers in Arizona after recently ruling that withholding certain information from the jury during the sentencing process was unlawful. The court previously held it was illegal to prevent … Continue reading Supreme Court reverses death sentences of 6 in Arizona, orders new sentencings
The U.S. Department of Justice is suing to block JetBlue Airways’s proposed $3.8 billion acquisition of fast-growing rival Spirit Airlines, the agency announced March 7. The two discount airlines currently compete on hundreds of routes serving millions of travelers. Four … Continue reading DOJ sues to block JetBlue acquisition of Spirit Airlines
The Supreme Court agreed on March 6 to take up an appeal by an insurance company that refused to cover non-fire damage to a yacht after it ran aground while carrying a fire extinguishing system whose inspection had lapsed. The … Continue reading Supreme Court to hear appeal after insurer refused to cover a yacht wreck
The Supreme Court sided with atheists on March 6 when it decided not to hear an appeal by a Florida city that sought to halt a lawsuit over a city-sponsored prayer vigil. Conservative Justice Clarence Thomas objected to the court’s … Continue reading Supreme Court sides with offended atheists in lawsuit against Florida city over prayer vigil: Justice Clarence Thomas files dissenting opinion
The legal team representing an evangelical Christian postal worker who quit the U.S. Postal Service after it refused to accommodate his wish not to work on the Sunday Sabbath is “optimistic” about the case the Supreme Court will hear next … Continue reading Legal team for Christian postal worker pushed out for demanding Sunday work exemption hopeful about upcoming case
I stumbled upon an excellent essay by my old childhood friend, Michael Redhill. It is entitled, “Thoughts on depression from an artistic mind.” It appeared in the Globe and Mail on Aug. 15, 2014. An excerpt: I am not an expert in the causes of depression, only an expert in the experience of it, and after four or so decades living with the illness, I know a few things about it: There’s no cure, only remission. People who suffer from depression (not “normal unhappiness,” which was the goal of Freud’s talking cure), are never fully out of danger because it is … Continue reading Thoughts on depression from an artistic mind
The U.S. Supreme Court signaled late March 2 that it is considering dropping a high-profile pending case in which Republicans are asking it to rule that state legislatures have greater power over federal elections. The case, Moore v. Harper, court … Continue reading Supreme Court may back out of ruling on doctrine empowering state legislatures to regulate elections
The Supreme Court agreed to hear an appeal from a convicted methamphetamine distributor who argues that he was improperly denied relief under the Trump-era First Step Act. The court granted the petition in an unsigned order on Feb. 27. No … Continue reading Supreme Court agrees to hear First Step Act drug sentencing appeal