The Democrat-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee abruptly called off a vote on issuing subpoenas against two private citizens connected to conservative Supreme Court justices. A Senate aide said the vote was pulled because a Democrat senator decided to drop his support … Continue reading Senate panel halts subpoena vote in Supreme Court probe
The Supreme Court refused to halt this month’s trial in Louisiana against BP America and other oil companies for upward of $7 billion in compensation for coastal erosion that local authorities allege has been exacerbated by the corporations’ actions. Several parishes in the Pelican State are suing oil companies over coastal damage. They claim, among other things, that the companies dug channels through wetlands during their energy production efforts, which they argue have accelerated coastal land loss. The companies deny any wrongdoing. BP America Production Co., Shell Oil Co., and Hilcorp Energy Co. had asked the nation’s highest court to … Continue reading Supreme Court won’t block local government lawsuit against BP America
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is shortchanging military veterans seeking education benefits, the Supreme Court heard on Nov. 8. If the court rules in favor of the veteran who brought the case, 1.7 million post-9/11 veterans could become eligible … Continue reading VA unfairly deprives veterans of education benefits, Supreme Court hears
The Biden administration told the Supreme Court on Nov. 7 that a lower court ruling invalidating a federal law that bars people under domestic violence-related restraining orders from possessing firearms should be overturned. The case of United States v. Rahimi … Continue reading Biden admin urges Supreme Court to uphold ban on guns for people under domestic restraining orders
A divided federal appeals court has denied pro-life campaigner Lauren Handy’s appeal of a lower court’s finding that her actions at a Washington abortion clinic protest constituted a “crime of violence.” Ms. Handy and her co-defendants—who are facing up to … Continue reading DC court rejects ‘crime of violence’ appeal of pro-life campaigner Lauren Handy
The Supreme Court declined on Nov. 6 to take up the disability bias lawsuit of a UPS driver in West Virginia who claimed that his employer violated his rights under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The Supreme Court’s decision allows a ruling against the driver by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 4th Circuit to remain in place. The ruling comes as the nation’s highest court considers Acheson Hotels LLC v. Laufer (court file 22-429), the case of a serial lawsuit filer who has sued more than 600 hotels over their alleged failure to post disability accessibility information on their … Continue reading Supreme Court won’t hear driver’s disability bias lawsuit against UPS
Former Trump White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who is facing election interference charges in Georgia, told a federal appeals court on Nov. 3 that its recent ruling defining what constitutes a federal officer bolsters his appeal. Georgia prosecutors … Continue reading Former Trump White House chief argues Georgia cannot try him in election interference case
The Supreme Court has agreed for the second time in a year to hear an appeal from Coinbase, a major cryptocurrency exchange that wants to compel disgruntled customers to submit to private arbitration instead of adjudicating their dispute in the … Continue reading Supreme Court to hear crypto giant’s appeal
Republican members of the Democrat-controlled Senate Judiciary Committee pushed back against the majority’s efforts to subpoena private citizens connected to conservative Supreme Court justices. The committee is conducting an investigation as it promotes Democrat-backed legislation that would impose a code … Continue reading Republicans say Democrats seeking subpoenas in Supreme Court ethics probe have ulterior motive
The Supreme Court was skeptical of a progressive activist’s argument that he should be allowed to trademark a belittling phrase targeting former President Donald Trump for use on T-shirts. The justices heard oral arguments on Nov. 1 in Vidal v. … Continue reading Supreme Court unsympathetic to activist who wants to trademark anti-Trump insult
When can government officials block individuals on their social media accounts? The United States Supreme Court considered that question at an Oct. 31 hearing. The court’s eventual ruling on the high-profile controversy, which involves two contradictory rulings by lower courts, … Continue reading Supreme Court considers whether public officials may block constituents on social media
The Supreme Court has decided not to hear the appeal of a former Michigan college student who sued police officers for beating him after mistaking him for a criminal suspect. The decision to deny the petition for certiorari, or review, … Continue reading Supreme Court won’t rehear police brutality case
The Supreme Court turned away a legal challenge to an Obama-era immigration program that provides employment authorization to the spouses of H-1B visa holders. The H-1B visa permits U.S. employers to hire foreign workers in specialty occupations. A specialty occupation … Continue reading Supreme Court won’t hear challenge to spousal visa program
Residents of Asheville, North Carolina, are suing the city in federal court over allegedly unconstitutional racial discrimination at the local human rights board. The residents argue that the city’s discriminatory treatment runs afoul of the Equal Protection Clause of the … Continue reading White residents sue city over racially discriminatory human rights policy
A federal judge ordered the Georgia legislature on Oct. 26 to create a total of eight new black-majority electoral districts for 2024 congressional and state elections by Dec. 8. The courts are now dealing with a torrent of litigation spurred … Continue reading Federal judge orders Georgia to create new black-majority electoral districts
An outspoken federal judge often viewed as a potential Supreme Court justice called the nation’s university campuses “incubators of bigotry” that discriminate against religious conservatives, during a speech on Oct. 25. Judge James C. Ho of the U.S. Court of … Continue reading Outspoken federal judge who led Yale boycott calls universities ‘incubators of bigotry’
Florida has asked the Supreme Court to allow its law regulating drag shows to be enforced. Drag shows have become an important issue across the country as the transgender movement presses for public and legal acceptance. Politicians in various states … Continue reading Florida asks Supreme Court to halt injunction blocking enforcement of drag show law
The Supreme Court of Georgia voted 6–1 on Oct. 24 to uphold the state’s six-week abortion ban. The lawsuit against the ban was one of many nationwide that have been adjudicated in the wake of restrictive abortion laws that have … Continue reading Georgia Supreme Court upholds state’s ‘heartbeat’ abortion law
A small family-owned art company is suing a Texas city over a sweeping ordinance that gives government officials a veto over the content of murals that can be painted on building exteriors. The federal civil rights lawsuit challenges the local … Continue reading Artists sue Texas city over censorship ordinance
The Supreme Court has refused to reinstate a novel Missouri law that won’t allow local police to work with the federal government to enforce gun laws. The court’s unsigned order in Missouri v. United States (court file 23A296) was issued … Continue reading Supreme Court allows block of Missouri gun law to remain in effect