All Law & Courts
First LookTrump facing new charges in classified documents caseProsecutors allege former President Donald Trump asked an employee to delete security footage at his Florida estate. He also faces a new count of willfully retaining national defense information.
First LookWhy seeking asylum at US-Mexico border may soon be easierA federal judge blocked a rule that required migrants seeking asylum at the U.S.-Mexico border to seek protection in a country they had passed through. The ruling won’t take effect immediately, giving the Biden administration time to appeal.
The ExplainerShoplifting is on the rise. So are solutions.Across the United States, retailers are undertaking extraordinary measures to combat a rise in shoplifting. So are lawmakers and police.
First LookTransparent Supreme Court? Judiciary Committee to vote on ethics code.The Senate Judiciary Committee will vote on a new ethics code for the Supreme Court. While Democrats are pushing the legislation, Republicans are strongly opposed, arguing the ethics bill could “destroy” the high court.
First LookTeaching gigs or luxe vacations? Justices’ ethics under scrutiny.Sen. Dick Durbin, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said the Supreme Court should follow the standards of other government branches.
The legal principle behind a more restrained Supreme Court termThere were death threats, ethics scandals, and polls showing that Americans lost trust in the Supreme Court. But this term, the opinions themselves offered a return – in several cases – of more modest rulings and unwillingness to entertain controversial theories.
First LookJudge rules White House overstepped with social media COVID messagingA judge on Tuesday prohibited several federal agencies and officials of the Biden administration from working with social media companies in response to a lawsuit alleging the government overstepped in efforts to quell hesitations about COVID-19 vaccines.
How religious liberty became the Roberts court’s North StarThis week, the Supreme Court added two more rulings to its growing list of pro-religion decisions, which continue to profoundly reshape the nation’s religious jurisprudence.
First Look'What about our culture?': Copper-rich town debates Native rightsResidents of a small Arizona town are grappling with history colliding with industry in their backyard. Native American groups and a mining company are engaged in a tug-of-war over a proposed copper mine on national forest land.
First Look'They should care about us': Former Facebook moderators sue MetaNearly 200 former content moderators for Facebook in Kenya have filed a lawsuit against Meta, which could have implications for the work worldwide. They allege poor working conditions and insufficient mental health support for viewing harmful content.
Upholding democracy? Supreme Court strikes down election theory.The Supreme Court seems to be avoiding adding stress to democracy with its decision striking down the “independent state legislature” theory in setting federal election rules.
First LookSupreme Court allows Biden policy on deportations to standThe Supreme Court voted 8-1 to allow a Biden policy on deporting only those immigrants who pose the greatest public safety risk to take effect.
The ExplainerReligion and public education: How a new charter school tests the lawThe school choice movement took a new twist in June when an Oklahoma school board approved a Catholic charter school, opening the door for litigation and the potential for taxpayer money flowing to a religious school.
First LookColorado River water rights: Supreme Court rules against Navajo NationThe Supreme Court ruled 5-4 against the Navajo Nation Thursday in a dispute involving water from the drought-stricken Colorado River. The Navajo interpreted an 1868 treaty as ensuring a sufficient supply of water to its community, but the court disagreed.
First LookUnconstitutional: Arkansas judge blocks ban on gender-affirming careA federal judge on Tuesday struck down an Arkansas ban on gender-affirming care for minors. The judge says the ban – which has been widely criticized by medical groups – violates the U.S. Constitution.
First LookGuilty verdict delivered in deadliest attack against US JewsThe guilty verdict Friday against Robert Bowers, who attacked and killed Jewish worshippers at a synagogue in Pittsburg in 2018, was a foregone conclusion. Jurors must now decide whether he will be sentenced to death or life in prison without parole.
In win for tribal rights, Supreme Court upholds Native adoption lawThursday’s ruling upholds an adoption law that tribes see as critical to their cultural survival after decades of children being stripped from families. Dissenting justices say it puts tribal welfare over the best interests of the child.
First LookShould a power company pay for wildfire damage? Oregon jury says yes.A jury in Oregon found an electric company responsible for the devastating fires during Labor Day weekend in 2020 and ordered it to pay tens of millions of dollars to homeowners. Plaintiffs alleged PacifiCorp failed to shut off power during a windstorm.
First Look'Healing our communities': New York moves reparations forwardNew York lawmakers passed a bill to establish a reparations commission to address the lasting effects of slavery. State Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages emphasizes the importance of healing communities. The bill now awaits consideration by the governor.
In major win for voting rights, Supreme Court sides with Black AlabamiansIn one of the biggest rulings of this term so far, the Supreme Court upheld a key section of the Voting Rights Act. The case has important implications for both 2024 elections and democracy overall.
