Employer health plan’s exclusion for gender-affirming care violates Title VII, 11th Circuit rules

A federal appeals court has ruled that a health insurance provider can be liable for denying gender-affirming care to transgender people under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act.

May 14, 2024 12:48 PM CDT

Catholic school can fire gay drama teacher for marrying, 4th Circuit rules

One of the most liberal appellate courts in the country has ruled that a Catholic high school could fire a teacher for marrying another man, a victory for conservative and religious advocacy groups that have pushed back against anti-discrimination law.

May 8, 2024 3:10 PM CDT

SCOTUS declines to stay Idaho ban on gender-affirming care for minors

The Supreme Court has cleared the way for Idaho to broadly enforce a ban on gender-affirming medical care for minors, the first time the justices have intervened on the contentious issue of transgender health treatments.

Apr 16, 2024 9:45 AM CDT

Judge refuses to toss suit claiming lawyer, a Civil War buff, played ‘Dixie’ and watched disturbing racist videos at work

A fired office manager for Brooklyn, New York City, law firm Wenig Saltiel can proceed with her claim that she was subjected to a hostile work environment because of the alleged actions of a Civil War buff who was formerly a name partner, a federal judge has ruled.

Apr 2, 2024 3:30 PM CDT

May 8, 1867: Trolley segregation ends in New Orleans

Since their inaugural service in the 1830s, streetcars were a source of both convenience and resentment for the Black citizens of New Orleans. With their access limited by local “Black codes” only to “star cars”—segregated trolleys emblazoned with a black star—even free Black workers, housewives and shoppers found a daily reminder that their freedom bore scant resemblance to that of whites.

Apr 1, 2024 12:05 AM CDT

Lawyers representing transgender plaintiffs face possible sanctions for alleged ‘judge shopping’

A federal judge in Alabama has directed 11 lawyers to show cause why they shouldn’t be sanctioned for alleged "judge shopping" in lawsuits challenging a ban on some gender-affirming medical procedures for transgender minors in the state.

Mar 25, 2024 12:45 PM CDT

Drag show ban at Texas university left intact by Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to let a student group host a charity drag show at a public university in Texas, siding with a school official who banned the performance as “derisive, divisive and demoralizing.”

Mar 15, 2024 3:15 PM CDT

Rohingya human rights must be protected, ABA House urges

The House of Delegates is urging the United States and other countries to stop human rights violations and genocide involving the Rohingya, a Muslim minority that lived in Myanmar’s Rakhine state for generations until military crackdowns in 2017 forced nearly 1 million to flee to Bangladesh and other surrounding countries.

Feb 5, 2024 1:45 PM CST

Yale Law’s Owen Fiss talks about threats to democracy and ‘Why We Vote’

After 50 years as a professor at Yale Law School, Owen Fiss says his students are still idealistic and passionate about the rights won in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. A classroom discussion prompted his new book.

Jan 31, 2024 8:47 AM CST

Florida prosecutor ousted by DeSantis gets chance to prove First Amendment claims

Ousted Hillsborough County, Florida, State Attorney Andrew Warren is getting a chance to seek reinstatement on First Amendment grounds as a result of a federal appeals court’s ruling Wednesday.

Jan 11, 2024 8:53 AM CST

Chemerinsky: A year of significant developments at the Supreme Court

“Sometimes in the past, a blockbuster term—like the one a year ago—is followed by a quieter one. But that was not true this year. It was another amazing year in the Supreme Court,” writes Erwin Chemerinsky, University of California at Berkeley law dean.

Dec 19, 2023 11:08 AM CST

Supreme Court declines to consider challenge to conversion-therapy ban; 3 justices would have heard case

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday refused to consider a challenge to ban in Washington on conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors, prompting dissents from three justices.

Dec 11, 2023 2:05 PM CST

Supreme Court considers whether police officer’s job transfer was sex discrimination under Civil Rights Act

The justices agreed to decide whether Title VII prohibits discrimination in transfer decisions “absent a separate court determination that the transfer decision caused a significant disadvantage.”

Nov 30, 2023 10:29 AM CST

Helping others is at the center of Holly Dolejsi’s practice

Holly Dolejsi has made pro bono—and, in particular, helping transgender and nonbinary individuals change their names—a central part of her practice.

Nov 30, 2023 9:04 AM CST

Florida’s ban on kids attending drag shows remains blocked after Supreme Court declines to intervene

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday refused to lift an injunction that prevents Florida from enforcing a ban on children attending drag shows.

Nov 17, 2023 10:14 AM CST