On Thursday federal judges threw out Michigan’s congressional and state legislative maps, calling them unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders. Politico reports that the case is on hold till the outcome of cases already pending at the Supreme Court which will likely determine whether Michigan redraws its districts before the 2020 election. A … [Read more...]
Florida Legislature Pushes Bills To Restrict Plaintiffs’ Rights
“Tort reform” has long been a Republican priority – especially in the state of Florida. GOP legislators talk often about the necessity of placing harsher restrictions on plaintiffs' ability to pursue compensation for fraud, injuries and a staggering range of other harms. It's a rare election where voters don't hear Republican candidates blame … [Read more...]
Maryanne Trump Barry Resigns in Face of Ethics Investigation
Maryanne Trump Barry, former Senior United States Circuit Judge of the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit (Pubic Domain) Few people realize that President Trump has an older sister, but you will likely be hearing her name quite a bit over the coming weeks. Maryanne Trump Barry was a federal appellate judge, but she resigned … [Read more...]
Will Chief Justice John Roberts Protect Abortion Precedent?
Event Description: The Supreme Court held a special sitting on November 8, 2018, for the formal investiture ceremony of Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh. President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump attended as guests of the Court. Photo Caption: Associate Justice Brett M. Kavanaugh (left) and Chief Justice John G. Roberts, … [Read more...]
Group of Prestigious Lawyers Decry Trump’s Assault on “Rule of Law”
Since 2016, many Americans have registered their discontent with the Trump Administration's often flagrant disregard for the norms and expectations of American politics. Many of the battles related to the administration's controversial actions have been fought in the country's federal courthouses, and lawyers are often on the front lines of these … [Read more...]
U.S. Supreme Court Revisits Federal Agency Power
Conservative U.S. Supreme Court justices on Wednesday expressed skepticism toward the wide latitude courts give federal agencies to interpret their own regulations in a case that could bolster the Trump administration’s push toward curbing agency power, according to Reuters. The case, involving a Vietnam War veteran’s fight with the Department … [Read more...]
U.S. Court of Appeals Reviews Trump Administration’s Rescission of DACA
Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals, or DACA, is an immigration policy that was enacted by President Obama’s executive order in 2012. It allows undocumented immigrants who were brought to the United States as children and have lived in the US for more than four years to avoid deportation and obtain a work permit. The deferral on deportation is … [Read more...]
U.S. Judge Mulls Gag Order On Talkative Trump Adviser Stone
A U.S. judge said that she is considering imposing a gag order on President Donald Trump’s longtime adviser Roger Stone, who has spoken numerous times to news organizations in the week since he was charged by Special Counsel Robert Mueller in the ongoing Russia investigation, according to Reuters. The judge cited a number of “extrajudicial … [Read more...]
“Fetal Heartbeat” Law Unconstitutional, Rules Iowa Judge
In a recent controversial decision in Iowa, Polk County District Judge Michael Huppert ruled that Iowa’s fetal heartbeat law, which is the most restrictive abortion limit in the country, violates the Iowa Constitution and cannot be legally enforced. Citing the Iowa Supreme Court’s ruling in 2018 related to a different abortion restriction, the … [Read more...]
U.S. Supreme Court’s Ginsburg To Miss Monday’s Oral Arguments
U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg will be working from home and will not participate from the bench during the two scheduled oral arguments on Monday after undergoing surgery for lung cancer last month, a court spokeswoman said. Ginsburg, 85, will instead use the case briefs and transcripts to participate in the cases, court … [Read more...]
