All Law & Courts
NSA reform? Obama faces headwinds in a Congress divided on surveillance policy.Views on Capitol Hill over reforming NSA policies aren't breaking along party lines, as libertarian Republicans join with leftist Democrats to oppose the mass collection of phone records.
Can police search suspect's cellphone with no warrant? Supreme Court to rule.The Supreme Court has allowed police to search closed containers found on a suspect, but defense lawyers say cellphones now hold so much data that a warrant must be obtained.
Ohio executes killer: Was untested lethal injection 'cruel and unusual'?Ohio execution of killer used an untested form of lethal injection, and it took almost 25 minutes for the inmate to die. Opponents of capital punishment want a ban on such executions.
Pennsylvania judge guts voter ID law, calling it burdensomeThe photo ID provisions of the Pennsylvania voter ID law 'violate the fundamental right to vote,' the judge wrote, but he found no evidence it sought to intentionally disenfranchise Democratic voters.
'Net neutrality' ruling will turn Internet into cable TV, critics sayAs a result of the court ruling, telecommunications giants are now free to charge higher rates for certain content providers. Critics say it will create a system of online haves and have-nots.
Keep your distance: Supreme Court takes up protesters outside abortion clinicsMassachusetts requires protesters to stay 35 feet away from abortion clinics. Opponents arguing before the US Supreme Court Wednesday said the law hinders the free speech of antiabortion counselors.
New Mexico school shooting: Were some students warned ahead of time?Police in Roswell, N.M., are investigating reports that the alleged 12-year-old shooter at Berrendo Middle School may have told some students to stay away. Experts say this could be a typical bid for social status.
US judge strikes down Oklahoma gay marriage ban as 'arbitrary, irrational'Oklahoma's 2004 ban restricts marriage to a union between one man and one woman. The judge said it 'intentionally discriminates against same-sex couples,' violating equal protection guarantees.
Florida theater shooting: Will suspect's age open door to ‘stand your ground’?Curtis Reeves was charged with second-degree murder in the shooting of a man in a Florida movie theater after officials decided 'stand your ground' didn't apply. But his age, 71, could create leeway.
Supreme Court justices question Obama's recess appointmentsThe Obama administration's top lawyer told justices that a ruling against the president would 'repudiate the constitutional legitimacy' of thousands of appointments. A lawyer for Senate Republicans calls the episode a 'complete abuse of the process.'
- Abortion rights: Supreme Court leaves rejection of Arizona law in place
In declining to take up the case, the Supreme Court let stand a Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals ruling that invalidated Arizona's law, which sought to restrict abortions after 20 weeks.
Obama's recess appointments: Supreme Court to hear landmark caseWho has the authority to decide when the Senate is officially in session, the president or senators themselves? The Supreme Court Monday will hear a case focusing on President Obama’s recess appointments.
- Bridge scandal: Could Chris Christie face criminal charges?
While Gov. Chris Christie defended himself at a press conference Thursday, the US attorney for New Jersey announced he's looking into whether the closure of lanes leading to the GW Bridge violated any federal laws.
US recognizes Utah same-sex marriages: What's behind Holder's unusual move?Saying the Supreme Court's stay had 'cast doubt' on the same-sex marriages performed in Utah, Attorney General Eric Holder said they would be fully recognized by the federal government.
No sexual assault charges in Maryville case, special prosecutor saysThe defendant in the Maryville, Mo., case, Matthew Barnett, 19, pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child. There was insufficient evidence for sexual assault charges, the prosecutor said.
JPMorgan to pay up for role in Madoff scheme. How much to the victims?JPMorgan, which never disclosed doubts about Madoff investments to US regulators, faces a $1.7 billion criminal penalty – the largest ever under Bank Secrecy Act. Madoff victims lost $18 billion.
Chicago gun laws rolled back again: US judge strikes down ban on gun storesChicago's ban on gun stores and private gun sales 'goes too far,' a federal judge says, another legal blow to the gun-control policies the city has employed in an effort to reduce crime.
Why Cuomo opened door, a bit, to medical marijuana in New YorkNew York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's shift on medical marijuana comes at the start of a reelection bid as progressives gain ground in a state known for its tough anti-pot enforcement.
'Jihad Jane,' who vowed to kill Swedish cartoonist, gets 10 years in prisonAn American woman who styled herself 'Jihad Jane' online was sentenced to 10 years for plotting to help Islamic militants and to kill a cartoonist who drew an offensive picture of the prophet.
Supreme Court halts gay marriages in Utah, pending appeals court decisionAn injunction by a federal judge in Utah last month has allowed more than 900 gay couples to marry. The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to block that injunction while litigation continues.
