All Law & Courts
First LookCapitol rioter gets 8 months for felony. What about the others?In the first punishment for a felony in response to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Paul Hodgkins received a sentence of eight months in prison. The sentencing may set a standard for future cases, analysts say.
The ExplainerTaking on Big Tech: What the Federal Trade Commission can doIs it possible to rein in the vast marketplace clout of Big Tech firms with antitrust rules? Lina Khan at the Federal Trade Commission is a believer.
First LookWhat the right to proper notice means for deportation casesThe Supreme Court ruling in April in Niz-Chavez v. Garland is starting to trickle down to the lower courts. Immigrants whose first court appearance notice did not include a date, time, and location now have grounds for dismissal in their deportation cases.
To understand this Supreme Court, watch Clarence ThomasConservative Justice Clarence Thomas has long been on the margins in the Supreme Court. But last term showed he’s now at its intellectual heart.
First LookBoy Scout settlement could be largest in U.S. sex abuse casesThe Boy Scouts of America have struck a deal to pay $850 million to survivors who experienced sexual assault by scoutmasters or other leaders as part of its bankruptcy proceedings. The number of claims has risen above 80,000.
Racial bias in voting laws? Supreme Court makes it harder to prove.The Supreme Court said two Arizona provisions had some disproportionate effect on minority voters, but not enough to trigger the Voting Rights Act.
First LookCourt overturns Bill Cosby's sexual assault convictionOn Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned Bill Cosby’s sex assault conviction, setting the stage for his release from prison. Mr. Cosby has served over two years of the sentence he was given in 2018.
FocusHow race shaped the South’s punitive approach to justiceThe South in many ways has the harshest criminal justice system in the U.S., embracing tough sentencing and the death penalty. Race plays a key role.
First LookChauvin sentenced to 22.5 years in prison for murder of George FloydOn Friday, former police officer Derek Chauvin, who was convicted in April for the murder of George Floyd, was sentenced to 22.5 years in prison. Minnesota guidelines call for 12.5 years, but factors such as cruelty and abuse of authority warranted a stronger sentence.
The case of the cursing cheerleader: Justices give students free speech winFor the first time in over 50 years, the Supreme Court ruled in favor of high school students’ free speech rights.
First LookSCOTUS defends cheerleader's freedom of speech in Snapchat caseAfter being temporarily banned from cheerleading in 2017, Brandi Levy’s parents sued their Philadelphia school district. While the U.S. Supreme Court sided with the Levys, they did not forfeit support for schools’ authority to prevent unruliness off school grounds.
First LookSCOTUS backs student-athletes in NCAA compensation disputeThe U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the NCAA, determining that the current limits for student-athletes on education-related compensation violate existing anti-trust laws. The Court did not reject limits on salaries, however.
Supreme Court’s day of culture war surprisesThe Supreme Court may, like the U.S., be more partisan than ever. But Thursday offered two big cases that did not break along predictable ideological lines.
First LookIn LGBTQ foster care case, Supreme Court backs religious rightsOn Thursday, the U.S. Supreme Court voted unanimously to embrace religious rights over LGBTQ rights in favor of Catholic Social Services. The organization refuses to place children in foster care with same-sex couples.
First LookSupreme Court blocks third challenge to Affordable Care ActThe Supreme Court dismissed the third case to oppose “Obamacare” since its enactment over a decade ago. The Biden administration estimates 31 million individuals are insured under the health care law known as the Affordable Care Act.
The ExplainerUS saw biggest spike in gun violence in 50 years. Don’t panic yet.Amid a pandemic and protests against police brutality, the U.S. saw a surge in gun violence that is the largest in decades.
First LookDraft required just for men? The High Court lets Congress decide.The US Supreme Court decided not to review a case concerning the constitutionality of the men-only draft registration requirement of the Military Selective Service Act. Instead, the Court will defer to Congress to decide whether disparate treatment is still warranted.
First LookWhy US judge ended California's 32-year ban on assault weaponsA federal judge overturned California’s ban on assault weapons, calling it a “failed experiment” that violates the Second Amendment of the U.S Constitution.
The Explainer‘Constitutional carry’ comes to Texas. The trend in five charts.When Texas changes its gun laws, the U.S. takes notice. But “permitless carry” already has been adopted in 19 states. What are the effects so far?
FocusIs Roe about to unravel? The view from Mississippi’s only abortion clinic.One clinic in Mississippi is at the fulcrum of a U.S. Supreme Court case that could reshape the legal landscape on abortion.
