All Law & Courts
- Do 14-year-old killers deserve life without parole? Supreme Court hears cases.
Supreme Court Justice Kennedy is seen as the potential swing vote in two cases questioning whether life without parole for 14-year-old killers is cruel and unusual punishment.
- Does Supreme Court decision on sick leave hint at health-care law ruling?
The sick leave provision and health-care law rely on different sections of the Constitution, but Supreme Court-watchers noted with interest that the justices found Congress had overstepped its authority.
Why California's chief justice is taking on the LegislatureAs head of the California court system, state Supreme Court Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye is in a power struggle with lawmakers. It points to a delicate balance for judges.
Trayvon Martin case: use of Stand Your Ground law or pursuit of a black teen?A grand jury in Florida and the US Justice Department will both probe the Feb. 26 shooting death of teenager Trayvon Martin. Key questions: Did the alleged gunman racially profile Trayvon? And did he use the Stand Your Ground law appropriately?
Drug testing: Florida aims to be first to test public workersNew Florida drug-testing law allows agency heads to randomly test public workers for illegal drugs, prescription drugs, and alcohol. But it exempts the governor and state legislators.
- Supreme Court refuses church-state case involving child sex abuse by clergy
US Supreme Court on Monday declined to take up an appeal by a man who says he was abused by a Roman Catholic priest decades ago. He sought to challenge the archdiocese's assertion that the First Amendment shields it from a lawsuit.
- Trayvon Martin 911 tapes: Who screamed for help before shot rang out?
Police and the parents of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager shot by a neighborhood watch captain, differ in their interpretation of 911 tapes, specifically about who was yelling for help.
Dharun Ravi guilty of anti-gay hate crime in Rutgers spycam caseA jury finds ex-Rutgers student Dharun Ravi guilty of privacy invasion and bias intimidation – a hate crime – after exposing a gay roommate's sexual encounter via spycam. The message: Privacy rights count even in the social-media age.
Trayvon Martin killing in Florida puts 'Stand Your Ground' law on trialThe shooting of Trayvon Martin, an unarmed black teenager, in a gated Florida community has raised allegations of racial injustice and highlighted the burden that 'Stand Your Ground' laws impose on law enforcement officers.
Prison-bound, a grave Rod Blagojevich bids farewell to his publicFormer Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich is slated to report to prison Thursday to serve a sentence for corruption. On Wednesday he bade a public goodbye at an event that was half solemn, half street fair.
New York voters back NYPD Muslim-spying operation, poll findsA poll released Tuesday finds that 58 percent of New York voters support NYPD antiterror operations that critics call a violation of Muslims' civil liberties.
Report: NYPD compiled huge, secret dossier on law-abiding MuslimsA report released Friday suggests that, despite claims to the contrary, the NYPD singled out Muslims for surveillance and sometimes even crossed state lines. Critics want a federal probe.
- Celebrity chef Mario Batali to serve up $5.25M to restaurant workers
Renowned chef Mario Batali and his business partner have agreed to settle a class-action lawsuit brought on behalf of workers at eight New York restaurants. Tip-skimming was one allegation.
Twist in Rutgers spycam trial: Defense implies the prosecution is biasedLawyers for Dahrun Ravi, the former Rutgers student accused of using his webcam to spy on his gay roommate out of bias, began Friday to present their defense. They're working to pin the bias charge elsewhere.
Court backs Haley Barbour, rules governor has power to pardon at willThe Mississippi Supreme Court found Haley Barbour's pardon of 203 inmates upon leaving office in January constitutional, reaffirming a governor's unique power to override the justice system.
At Rutgers spycam trial, a struggle to prove antigay motive, say analystsLegal analysts tracking the Rutgers spycam trial of former student Dharun Ravi say prosecutors have had a hard time proving the most serious charge – that Ravi targeted his roommate because he was gay.
Calm and subdued, Ohio school shooting suspect faces judgeT.J. Lane, the suspect in the Feb. 27 shooting at Chardon High School that left three students dead and three wounded, told the judge Tuesday he understood the charges against him.
Anonymous unmasked: hacker ringleader turned FBI informantAnonymous and its spinoffs, including LulzSec, could be seriously damaged by the arrests of a half dozen high-level hackers.
Can foreigners sue international corporations in US courts?A 223-year-old law says foreigners can file lawsuits in American courts for alleged violations of international law. But whether they can sue corporations remains a question for the Supreme Court.
West Memphis Three: $100,000 reward offered to clear their namesThe West Memphis Three, convicted of killing three Cub Scouts, were released last year but not exonerated. A new $100,000 reward aims to clear their names.
