A federal judge in Louisiana paused an entertainer’s trial for gun possession until the U.S. Supreme Court decides if a federal law barring certain people from having firearms is constitutional. The criminal proceeding comes after the Supreme Court ruled 6–3 … Continue reading Rapper’s gun trial delayed until upcoming Supreme Court ruling
A civil rights group claims Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey is trying to short-circuit a recently filed racial discrimination lawsuit. The American Alliance for Equal Rights (AAER) filed a federal lawsuit last month against Ms. Ivey, a Republican, claiming that Alabama … Continue reading Civil rights group asks court to block Alabama appointments law
The Alabama Supreme Court’s finding last month that frozen embryos created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) are considered minor children under state law has been hailed by the pro-life movement. But the effect of the ruling was soon blunted when … Continue reading Pro-Life activists embrace Alabama IVF ruling
A civil rights group is suing Alabama for allegedly implementing illegal racial quotas in appointments to the Alabama Real Estate Appraisers Board (AREAB). The lawsuit comes after Pacific Legal Foundation (PLF) issued a report last year showing that as many … Continue reading Alabama sued over ‘racial quota’ for real estate appraisers board
The Supreme Court ducked a lawsuit over so-called bias response teams at Virginia Tech, ruling on March 4 that the case should be sent back to a lower court. After the litigation was initiated, Virginia Tech rescinded its bias response team policy, thus mooting, or ending, the legal controversy. Two conservative justices dissented, saying that the Supreme Court should have agreed to hold oral arguments to give a public airing of the issues involved in the case. A liberal justice also dissented, saying that the Supreme Court shouldn’t have vacated the lower court’s ruling. The case, Speech First Inc. v. Sands, … Continue reading Supreme Court sidesteps ‘speech police’ case at Virginia Tech
Pro-life high school students in the fifth-largest school district in the United States are claiming victory after a local school district settled a lawsuit about students being denied free speech rights. The Clark County School District in Las Vegas recently … Continue reading Las Vegas pro-life students prevail in federal lawsuit over suppression of views
The Supreme Court seemed inclined to send a dispute involving Coinbase, a major cryptocurrency exchange that wants to force disgruntled customers into private arbitration instead of adjudicating their complaint in the courts, back to lower courts for reconsideration. The customers’ … Continue reading Supreme Court seems ready to punt arbitration dispute involving cryptocurrency giant
The Supreme Court declined to take up the appeal of a school administrator who claimed a school district retaliated against her for drawing attention to a funding disparity in the construction of schools in black and white neighborhoods. The Supreme … Continue reading Supreme Court won’t hear school administrator’s retaliation case
The Supreme Court considered on Feb. 27 whether federal law overrides a New York state law that compels banks to pay interest on mortgage escrow accounts. The justices heard oral arguments in the case known as Cantero v. Bank of … Continue reading Federal banking laws should override state laws, Supreme Court hears
Parent groups are suing New York state in federal court over an educational program they say discriminates against Chinese American students. The new civil rights lawsuit comes amidst of wave of alleged racial discrimination at the nation’s colleges and universities. … Continue reading Parents sue New York state over alleged racially discriminatory education program
Florida and Texas should be allowed to regulate how social media platforms moderate content, lawyers for the two states told the Supreme Court on Feb. 26. During oral arguments, the justices seemed to be grasping for a new rule they … Continue reading Supreme Court struggles with regulation of social media
The Supreme Court decided on Feb. 26 to reject a case about whether honking a car horn is a constitutionally protected form of free speech. Although Americans have long sounded vehicle horns to express themselves politically, many states, including California, … Continue reading Supreme Court rejects free speech challenge to California honking law
The Supreme Court issued two orders that may allow the borders of a disputed state legislative district in Washington state to be finalized before elections later this year. The political territory in dispute is Legislative District 15 in the central part of Washington. The district is currently represented by state Sen. Nikki Torres, state Rep. Bruce Chandler, and state Rep. Bryan Sandlin, all Republicans. A state redistricting commission redrew the electoral map, but the lower courts struck it down for violating the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA). Democrats control both chambers of the state legislature. The Senate has 29 Democrats … Continue reading Supreme Court allows dispute over Washington legislative district to continue
The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled this week that Georgia is not allowed to try a mentally ill man for a second time despite conflicting jury verdicts. The case goes back to 2012 when Damian McElrath, then 18, killed his … Continue reading Supreme Court bars Georgia from retrying mentally ill man for murder
The U.S. Supreme Court refused on Feb. 22 to halt the Boy Scouts of America’s $2.46 billion bankruptcy settlement after a group of alleged sex-abuse victims asked the court to hold up the proceeding while they appeal the settlement. The … Continue reading Supreme Court denies request to stop Boy Scouts’ bankruptcy settlement
The Supreme Court unanimously overturned a federal appeals court, finding that under U.S. admiralty law, a forum selection provision in an insurance policy must be followed. Admiralty law, also known as maritime law, is the body of law that governs … Continue reading Supreme Court finds for insurer in yacht damage case
A coalition of Republican-led states and affected companies are urging the Supreme Court to put on hold the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) “good neighbor” rule that cracks down on states whose industries are said to be contributing to smog. … Continue reading States urge Supreme Court to block EPA rule they say could cause blackouts
The Supreme Court is to determine whether truck drivers for the company that makes Wonder Bread are considered transportation workers who are exempt from the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA). The FAA, enacted in 1925, contains a provision that the justices … Continue reading Supreme Court to decide if Wonder Bread truck drivers are exempt from arbitration
Over the objections of two conservative justices, the Supreme Court refused on Feb. 20 to hear a challenge to the admissions policy of a top-rated high school in Virginia that critics say engages in illegal racial discrimination against Asian American … Continue reading Supreme Court declines challenge of Virginia school’s allegedly discriminatory admissions policy
Idaho has asked the U.S. Supreme Court to allow it to enforce a state ban on sex-change-related procedures for minors after the law was blocked last month by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit. The Vulnerable Child Protection Act (VCPA), which Gov. Brad Little (R) signed in 2023, criminalizes physicians prescribing puberty-blocking drugs, hormone therapy, and selected surgeries for minors who identify to be transgender. Fines and prison terms can be imposed. “In signing this bill, I recognize our society plays a role in protecting minors from surgeries or treatments that can irreversibly damage their healthy bodies,” … Continue reading Idaho asks Supreme Court to let it enforce ban on sex-change procedures for minors