All Law & Courts
First LookUpcoming sports gambling decision could drive online fantasy industry to expandThe popularity of fantasy sports leagues has seen dramatic growth on the internet. Now, an approaching Supreme Court case deciding the legality of sports betting has the industry eyeing a major economic opportunity – especially among its younger users.
Will Supreme Court case lead to a post-union America?The US Supreme Court has played a significant role in eroding the power of unions, and Monday morning the court heard arguments in a case that union supporters and legal experts say could send public-sector unions into 'a death spiral.'
First LookSupreme Court declines to hear DACA caseThe Supreme Court declined to hear a Trump administration appeal of a lower court's ruling, thereby maintaining protections for the roughly 700,000 young people who are recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program.
The stark message behind Mueller indictment of 13 RussiansThe Russian nationals, as well as three Russian organizations, were charged with meddling in the 2016 US election.
At crossroads of policing and murder, a long push for accountabilityThe game began to change in many ways in New York because of the relentless work of the city's community of activists. They are pushing for what they see is a common-sense system of transparency for officers. Part 2 of 2.
Florida school shooting: Does 'national emergency' warrant national response?In the wake of another school shooting, Americans are grasping for a way forward. Many are calling for action from federal legislators. Others say a more distinct sense of common responsibility and communal burden may be more effective.
First LookJudge brings officials, lawyers to soon-to-be-closed homeless campKnown for an unconventional style, the Southern California judge brought lawyers and government officials to the two-mile long riverbed encampment to talk to residents about a plan he is overseeing to move them to motel rooms and other short-term housing.
More than a third of all US ex-cons who can’t vote live in Florida. Why?A judge found that the vote restoration process in Florida used arbitrary means to decide who is worthy. The state has until Feb. 12 to come up with remedies to the constitutional violations.
First LookCalifornia cities drop thousands of marijuana convictionsSan Francisco's District Attorney explained Thursday that the city will erase or reduce scores of marijuana-related convictions now that the drug is legal in California. Activists herald the move as a step toward redressing racial inequities in the war on drugs.
First LookDrug court gave lifeline to former addict turned counselorChelsea Carter's journey from addict to counselor began in a West Virginia drug court, an alternative to prison that proponents say offers a less costly and more effective way of dealing with offenders.
First LookArtificial intelligence plays budding role in courtroom bail decisionsComputer algorithms are now helping decide the near-term future for defendants in city and state courtrooms around the country. Cash bail has come under fire for exacerbating racial disparities and some see computer algorithms as the solution.
First LookJudge brings together key actors to tackle opioid epidemicLawyers for governments across the United States, pharmaceutical companies, distributors, and others will convene to discuss possible solutions and settlements related to the national opioid addiction crisis.
First LookNassar case raises questions about reporting process for victims of abuseSurvivors and lawmakers are determined to hold those who enabled Larry Nassar to abuse young female athletes accountable. Some are likening Michigan State University to Penn State University, where officials failed to report allegations involving coach Jerry Sandusky.
Without threat of prison, Oklahoma wonders how to encourage drug treatmentOklahoma recently reclassified drug possession and minor thefts to misdemeanors. For meth addicts who commit nonviolent crimes, treatment is a cheaper option than prison, say observers. But some are concerned that the lighter touch will reduce participation in substance-abuse programs.
First Look'Sister survivor warriors' come together as one to testify against sports doctorMore than 120 gymnasts have come forward to accuse former sports doctor Larry Nassar of sexual assault. Mr. Nassar currently faces 60 years in prison for child pornography crimes.
First LookPennsylvania court rules congressional map unconstitutionalPennsylvania's Supreme Court threw out the state's congressional map, determining it to be gerrymandered to benefit Republicans. The decision has immediate implications for the 2018 election and GOP control of Congress.
The ExplainerRussia investigation: An eventful week, and what happens nextNew details emerged this week in the broadening investigation into alleged efforts by Russia to interfere in the 2016 presidential election.
FocusBattle over legal marijuana: a monumental moment for states’ rightsThe Department of Justice's crackdown comes as 64 percent of Americans, including for the first time more than half of Republicans, support legalization, Gallup found this month. So far, 29 states have legalized the medical use of the drug, while eight have legalized recreational use.
Cliven Bundy case: How big a problem is prosecutorial misconduct?Beyond high-profile examples, such as the dismissal 'with prejudice' this week of the Bundy case, the question of how often prosecutorial misconduct occurs now is open to debate – with a former state attorney calling it a “rare event” and a former federal judge calling it an “epidemic.”
