Fourteenth Amendment

Ban on topless women doesn’t violate equal protection clause, 4th Circuit says; concurrence questions precedent

A ban on women going topless in public in Ocean City, Maryland, doesn’t violate the equal protection clause of the 14th Amendment, the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Richmond, Virginia, has ruled.

Aug 5, 2021 9:37 AM CDT

7th Circuit sees no constitutional problem with Indiana University’s COVID-19 vaccine requirements

A federal appeals court has rejected an injunction request by eight Indiana University students who claim that COVID-19 vaccine requirements violate their 14th Amendment right to “personal autonomy” and “bodily integrity.”

Aug 3, 2021 10:39 AM CDT

Lawyer’s suit claims raid was retaliation for successful defense; city sees allegations as baseless

The city of Roanoke, Virginia, is seeking to dismiss a lawsuit filed by a lawyer who claims that police raided her home in retaliation for successfully defending her stepson on murder charges.

Jul 28, 2021 9:36 AM CDT

Federal judge refuses to block Indiana University’s vaccine mandate; incoming 1L is among the plaintiffs

A federal judge in South Bend, Indiana, has refused to block Indiana University’s COVID-19 vaccine requirement for faculty and students in an opinion that said the plaintiffs' 14th Amendment claim was unlikely to succeed.

Jul 20, 2021 9:55 AM CDT

8th Circuit must reconsider case of shackled inmate who died after prone restraint, SCOTUS says

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday told a federal appeals court to take another look at a case of an inmate who died after correctional officers applied pressure to his back while he lay shackled on the floor.

Jun 28, 2021 12:25 PM CDT

SCOTUS lets stand victory by transgender man Gavin Grimm, former student who sued over bathroom policy

The U.S. Supreme Court has let stand a ruling that a Virginia school board violated the constitutional rights of Gavin Grimm, a transgender man and a former high school student, when it barred him from using the bathroom that matched his gender identity.

Jun 28, 2021 10:46 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: SCOTUS overturns another agency structure; corporate diversity suit allowed

Supreme Court rules FHFA structure is unconstitutional The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the structure of the Federal Housing Finance Agency is unconstitutional because its director can only be removed by a U.S. president for cause. The decision will allow President Joe Biden to replace the Trump appointee leading…

Jun 23, 2021 4:21 PM CDT

Property rights group notches another SCOTUS victory in ruling against agricultural unions

A California regulation allowing union organizers to access private property of employers is a physical taking requiring just compensation, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in a 6-3 decision Wednesday.

Jun 23, 2021 10:26 AM CDT

Florida resident loses First Amendment appeal in suit over rejection of his mansion plans

A federal appeals court has rejected constitutional claims by a Florida resident who sued when a town rejected his plans for a new beachfront mansion that would be dissimilar to nearby homes.

Jun 9, 2021 1:20 PM CDT

Requirement for jury unanimity in serious cases isn’t retroactive, Supreme Court rules

The requirement for unanimous jury verdicts in serious criminal cases doesn’t apply retroactively to overturn final convictions on federal collateral review, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday.

May 17, 2021 12:28 PM CDT

Does First Amendment bar public bodies from censuring members for critical speech? Supreme Court will decide

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday accepted a First Amendment case involving a college trustee who was censured after criticizing board actions and filing multiple lawsuits against the body.

Apr 26, 2021 12:35 PM CDT

Evidence of jury racial bias in civil trial requires hearing, 6th Circuit says, citing ‘crackhead’ assumption

A federal trial court must hold a hearing to examine potential jury bias after one woman said jurors considered the Black plaintiff to be "a crackhead" and referred to his lawyers as the "Cosby Show," a federal appeals court has ruled.

Apr 7, 2021 2:01 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Judge admonished partly for remote hearing impatience; ABA files brief opposing rigid cash bail

Judge admonished for impatience, guilt remark A California judge has been admonished for a “display of impatience and irritation” and a remark about an acquitted defendant’s guilt. Judge Patrick E. Connolly appeared irritated during a remote hearing because defense lawyers could not show him paperwork, according to the California Commission…

Apr 6, 2021 4:14 PM CDT

‘Cataclysmic’ decision striking down strict liability drug law puts past convictions at risk in this state

Years of convictions could be at risk following a Washington Supreme Court decision that struck down the state’s felony drug possession law.

Mar 15, 2021 10:43 AM CDT

Chemerinsky: Voting rights cases before SCOTUS could have profound effects on future elections

On Tuesday, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in important cases concerning the meaning of the Voting Rights Act of 1965: Brnovich v. Democratic National Committee and Arizona Republican Party v. Democratic National Committee. The cases involve Section 2 of the act, which prohibits voting practices or procedures that discriminate on the basis of race, color or language.

Feb 25, 2021 1:03 PM CST