All Law & Courts
Why both sides of debate say Devin Kelley should not have owned a gunDefense Secretary James Mattis on Tuesday ordered the Pentagon’s inspector general to launch an investigation into why the Air Force did not report Kelley to the NICS.
FocusSanctuary debate: What should immigration enforcement look like at hospitals?Federal immigration agencies have identified them as 'sensitive locations' – places to avoid making arrests. After a 10-year-old immigrant was detained at a Texas hospital, however, officials are wondering if formal legal defenses are needed. Rosa Maria Hernandez was released Friday evening.
North Carolina seeks to change its judges: rebalancing or constitutional overreach?GOP lawmakers say moves, including redrawing districts to force incumbent African-American judges to run against each other, are necessary steps to recalibrate after a massive influx of people. Democrats, including Gov. Roy Cooper, call it an effort to 'rig the system.'
- Personal liberties and freedom of the press: How well do you know the First Amendment?
While open-ended and frequently subject to interpretation, the freedoms granted in the First Amendment are some of the pillars of political expression and participation in this country. The First Amendment has been on the forefront of discussions on race and gender issues, censorship, and personal expression.
How well do you understand the personal liberties granted by the First Amendment? Take our quiz to test your knowledge.
First LookHawaii judge blocks travel ban for the third timeUnited States District Judge Derrick Watson blocked the third travel ban issued by President Trump hours before it took full effect.
Trump's travel ban in court (again), but with a differenceThe administration's latest effort to block immigration from six majority-Muslim nations has no expiration date. So the legal review promises to resolve a hot controversy over alleged discrimination.
The ExplainerWith Wisconsin case, Supreme Court takes up partisan gerrymanderingTechnology is easing the work of redistricting, and a new US Census is set to trigger a fresh round. That has some clamoring for the court to set boundaries that prevent abuse.
As high court term begins, Trump reshapes federal judiciary from top to bottomThe 'Trump effect' on law will begin to be felt in earnest during the high court’s term that begins Monday, with big cases on religious freedom, partisan gerrymandering, and unions. But the rapid pace of the president's judicial nominations could have a broader, more lasting effect.
FocusBehind the ‘paradox of fear’: Crime is down, but many Americans don’t feel safeSo far, 2017 is on track to have the second-lowest violent crime rate of any year since 1990, according to the nonpartisan Brennan Center for Justice.
The ExplainerWhat does third Trump travel ban mean for Supreme Court case?After the Trump administration issued a third version of its executive order regarding immigration on Sunday, the Supreme Court justices asked the parties involved to file briefs by Oct. 5.
First LookSupreme Court upholds Trump travel banThough the US Supreme Court justices will hear arguments on President Trump's ban on refugees from six majority Muslim countries in October, the court upheld the Trump administration's order to limit the number of refugees allowed into the country.
First LookDreamHost ordered to release Trump protest website dataDreamHost, an internet hosting company, has been ordered to turn over data records on a website used for organizing an anti-Trump protest during the president's inauguration.
Free-speech challenge: Can First and Second Amendments be exercised simultaneously?After Charlottesville, the American Civil Liberties Union's decision to no longer defend armed protesters comes amid a quandary for First Amendment guardians.
First LookChicago files federal lawsuit claiming sanctuary cities threat 'unconstitutional'Chicago is the first city to sue the Trump administration over the Department of Justice's threat to punish so-called sanctuary cities, calling the federal government's attempts to force compliance by threatening to cut off funding 'unauthorized and unconstitutional.'
First LookMore states want review of existing juvenile life sentences after Supreme Court banLawyers representing inmates serving mandatory life for crimes committed as minors say the ban should be taken into consideration during parole review hearings for their clients.
FocusPolicing in Trump era: A tough job isn't getting any easierWhile they are heartened to have a vocal advocate in the White House, eight officers interviewed by the Monitor say they see it as a minor benefit for a profession that is both intensely local and becoming increasingly complex.
Michigan FGM case could test bounds of religious libertyFor the first time, the US is pursuing a case of female genital mutilation. In the case, the courts will weigh a religious minority's rights against the federal government’s interest in protecting children.
Why split with Sessions may pit Trump agenda against Trump himselfAs the first Republican senator to endorse Trump, Attorney General Jeff Sessions is seen as the standard-bearer of the kind of conservative nationalism that carried the billionaire to the White House.
First LookUS investigators search to shut down channels that led to human smuggling tragedy in TexasA truck driver responsible for the death of 10 illegal immigrants is part of a major immigrant smuggling operation, US officials say.
Why there's a growing rift in GOP over law and orderThe attorney general's decision this week to expand a controversial program that allows police to seize people's assets without charging them with a crime runs into conservative principles about property and states' rights.
