All Law & Courts
First LookIn landmark deal, Sandy Hook families reach $73M settlementOn Tuesday, families of nine victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting reached a $73 million settlement with Remington, the company that made the rifle the shooter used. The families say they brought the lawsuit to hold gun manufacturers accountable.
First LookCalifornia moves to ‘repurpose’ the nation’s largest death rowCalifornia is planning to dismantle its death row, the nation’s largest, by moving all condemned inmates to other prisons within two years and aiming to turn the section into a “positive, healing environment.”
First LookBehind Biden's high court pledge: Black women's growing powerIn the wake of Justice Stephen Breyer’s retirement announcement, President Joe Biden reiterated a campaign pledge to nominate a Black woman. The promise illustrates how much Democrats rely on Black women, and their increasing power in government.
Minority report: How justices from Harlan to Breyer shaped legal opinionFrom great dissenters to bridge builders, members in the minority on the U.S. Supreme Court have found ways to shape the country’s jurisprudence.
First LookBattle weary Dems perk up with opportunity to fill high court seatDemocrats embraced Wednesday’s news of liberal Justice Stephen Breyer’s coming retirement. Frustrated by a series of legislative defeats, many Democrats see the opportunity to appoint a liberal judge as way to renew voter support for the party.
First LookJustice Breyer, a pragmatic bridge builder, set to retireSupreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is retiring after almost three decades on the bench. After Justice Breyer steps down, a move expected to occur this summer, many expect President Joe Biden will nominate the first Black woman to the high court.
‘Record speed and focus’: Biden’s judicial picks diversify benchAmong President Joe Biden’s most impressive achievements in his first year in office: the number and diversity of federal judges who have been confirmed.
The ExplainerThe Supreme Court and vaccine mandates: Three questionsThe Supreme Court Thursday blocked the Biden administration’s vaccine mandate for large employers. What happens now?
First LookSupreme Court: US businesses not required to vaccinate or testThe court has concluded that the Biden administration overstepped its authority with a vaccine-or-test rule for U.S. businesses with at least 100 employees. The court is allowing the administration to proceed with a vaccine mandate for health care workers.
A step toward better justice: Prying open the ‘black box’ of plea dealsEfforts are underway to remove plea bargaining from the shadows, in hopes that more transparency will lead to changes that make the process more just.
Is murder upswing starting to abate? Some US cities see declines.Although U.S. homicides rose again in 2021, the rate of increase slowed, and some cities saw outright declines. These two charts show the trends.
First LookThe men who killed Ahmaud Arbery receive maximum sentenceOn Friday, a Georgia judge sentenced the three men who chased down and killed Ahmaud Arbery to life in prison for murder, with only one of the men receiving the possibility of parole.
First LookSupreme Court to weigh legality of Biden’s vaccine mandatesOn Friday, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments over the Biden administration’s vaccine-or-testing requirement for large employers and vaccine mandate for health care workers. A decision will follow in the coming days or weeks.
First LookFBI informant describes life undercover with the KKK in FloridaFor nearly a decade, a U.S. Army veteran donned a white robe and hood as a hit man for the Ku Klux Klan in North Florida. He found law enforcement officers working with the KKK.
First LookHarvard nanoscientist found guilty of hiding money from ChinaIn a rare victory for the U.S. Justice Department's effort to curb China espionage, Harvard professor Charles Lieber was found guilty of filing false tax returns and failing to report a foreign bank account in China.
FocusOriginalism moves from theory to high court. What that means for US.Can looking back help America move forward, judicially? That’s the question facing originalism, a legal theory now in the majority at the Supreme Court.
First Look'Guilty, your honor': Chauvin admits to violating Floyd's civil rightsDerek Chauvin pleaded guilty on Wednesday to violating George Floyd’s civil rights when he killed the man by kneeling on his neck during an arrest. Three other former officers, indicted alongside Mr. Chauvin, are scheduled for trial early next year.
First LookWhat $380M settlement in sex abuse scandal means for US gymnastsA $380 million settlement between USA Gymnastics and the victims of sexual abuse by former national team doctor Larry Nassar was reached Monday. The agreement includes provisions intended to protect current and future gymnasts from abuse.
First Look'I had fun lol': How social media is shaping Jan. 6 riot sentencesDoes what goes on Facebook really matter? Almost a year after the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, prosecutors are heavily weighing protestors’ online posts. In at least 28 federal crime sentences so far, prosecutors have requested stricter rulings based on social media posts.
First LookCalifornia governor models Texas abortion law to ban gun salesDrawing on a Texas law to ban abortions, California Gov. Newsom wants to empower private citizens to enforce a ban on the sale of assault weapons.
