All Law & Courts
First LookKavanaugh's record on civil rights scrutinized by advocacy groupsAs the date of Judge Brett Kavanaugh's first Supreme Court confimation hearing approaches, civil rights organizations have been sifting through his 300-plus federal court opinions and other documents – and they say his record on racial justice raises red flags.
First LookCops are rarely convicted. Here's why an ex-Texas cop just was.The recent conviction of former Texas police officer Roy Oliver for the murder of 15-year-old Jordan Edwards was an extreme rarity. Fewer than 90 officers have been convicted in on-duty shooting cases for murder or manslaughter since 2005.
First LookCalifornia becomes first state to eliminate bailPretrial detention policies will now be set by each county's superior court based on suspects likelihood of returning to court and the danger they pose to the public. Most suspects accused of nonviolent felonies will be released within 12 hours of booking.
First LookJudge halts online distribution of 3-D printed plastic gun blueprintsA US district judge placed a temporary restraining order on a Texas company which will prevent it from posting online blueprints for an untraceable 3-D printed plastic gun, citing the potential harm the weapons could cause the state.
Manafort guilty: Courtroom win bolsters special counsel's credibilityPaul Manafort was the first person to stand trial of 32 individuals charged by the special counsel’s office in the Trump-Russia investigation.
Teaching police to holster their emotionsFatal shootings of people diagnosed with mental illness have spurred advocates of de-escalation training to call for a slower, smarter approach to policing that could save lives.
Desperate for officers, a Georgia police chief hits the roadFrom Atlanta to Los Angeles, brass are shuffling schedules, burning overtime, and watching response times rise as the numbers of qualified recruits have slowed to a trickle. More than 80 percent of US police departments are operating below budgeted “authorized force.” First in a three-part series.
First LookIn crash investigations, police upgrade from chalk, tape measures to dronesDrones already have varied uses from mail delivery to storm tracking. Now, US state and local police are using the unmanned aerial vehicles' bird's eye photos to reconstruct car crashes more efficiently, accurately, and safely.
3-D plastic guns: How the political script has flipped on First AmendmentThe advent of 3-D-printable plastic guns raises far more than safety questions. It's unleashed a powerful debate over the free flow of information.
First LookTrump administration supports Obama's national monument expansionFormer President Barack Obama nearly doubled the size of Oregon's Cascade-Siskiyou National Monument during his final week in office. In an unusual turn events, the Trump administration is defending that expansion in court.
For immigration lawyers, legal and emotional tests in navigating changed systemDelays in reunifying separated migrant families underscore the hardened stance that their advocates now face. Immigration courts are becoming more adversarial as a result.
Outspoken death-row inmate calls Nevada’s bluffScott Dozier’s case could push states that have retained the death penalty but have virtually stopped carrying it out to make a choice: Abolish it or find an acceptable method of execution.
First LookAfter Helsinki fallout, Trump invites Putin to WashingtonAfter being widely criticized for his Helsinki summit performance, President Trump is organizing a second meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin who last visited the White House in 2005.
First LookLGBT activists sound alarms about KavanaughDespite little evidence of his views on LGBT matters, some gay-rights supporters worry Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh's conservative voting history means he will vote against expansions of LGBT rights as a justice.
First LookJudge temporarily stops deportation of reunified familiesOn Monday, US District Judge Dana Sabraw halted deportations of immigrant families for at least a week. The ACLU had requested families have at least one week after reunification to pursue asylum, an issue the judge held off on deciding until next week.
First LookUS states change up suspect lineup policies to improve accuracyHalf of all US states have adopted new policies to prevent eyewitnesses from being swayed by police or other influences. Eyewitness misidentifications were a factor in 71 percent of the more than 350 wrongful convictions overturned by post-conviction DNA, according to The Innocence Project.
What new Mueller indictments say about his directionOn Friday, special counsel Robert Mueller’s team indicted 12 Russian military intelligence officers for allegedly hacking into the Democratic National Committee and the Hillary Clinton campaign.
First LookDemocrats raise questions about Kavanaugh's views on executive powerSupreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh has previously written that presidents should not have to face criminal investigations or civil lawsuits while in office, be exempt from subpoenas, and have the power to fire special counsels.
First LookFBI reopens Emmett Till murder case in light of possible new informationA book published last year, "The Blood of Emmett Till," may have inspired the FBI to reopen a closed murder case. The brutal murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955 is thought to have been the spark that ignited the civil rights movement.
The last 'swing'? High court 'reliability' and rule of lawThe question of judicial impartiality may have been a veiled fiction, as some legal scholars say. But the removal of that veil when it comes to Supreme Court and other nominations could result in a polarized judicial branch.
