Fourteenth Amendment

School shooting survivors can’t sue county officials for failing to protect them, 11th Circuit rules

A federal appeals court ruled Friday that 15 survivors of a 2018 mass shooting at the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, can’t sue public officials for failing to protect them.

Dec 15, 2020 2:56 PM CST

Should immigrants here illegally be excluded from census? SCOTUS justices consider delaying decision

During telephone oral arguments before the U.S. Supreme Court on Monday, the justices appeared skeptical of President Donald Trump’s plan to exclude immigrants in the country illegally from the census count.

Dec 1, 2020 10:57 AM CST

Trump campaign appeals after federal judge tosses suit, calls one claim ‘Frankenstein’s monster’

The Trump campaign on Sunday filed a notice of appeal after a federal judge tossed its lawsuit challenging Pennsylvania’s differing approaches to errors on mail-in ballots.

Nov 23, 2020 11:24 AM CST

Federal judge rules students have no right to civics education while warning of peril to democracy

A Rhode Island federal judge has ruled students in the state have no constitutional right to a civics education, even as he warned of a “deep flaw” in education priorities. Judge William Smith said they seem to recognize “American democracy is in peril.”

Oct 23, 2020 10:13 AM CDT

SCOTUS will decide whether census reapportionment report must count immigrants here illegally

The U.S. Supreme Court on Friday agreed to decide whether President Donald Trump can exclude immigrants in the country illegally from a census report used for reapportionment.

Oct 19, 2020 9:38 AM CDT

Barrett says she doesn’t see Roe v. Wade as ‘super precedent’

Judge Amy Coney Barrett, the U.S. Supreme Court nominee, has acknowledged that seven cases are “super precedent,” but Roe v. Wade isn’t one of them.

Oct 13, 2020 2:53 PM CDT

Thomas and Alito blast same-sex marriage decision as SCOTUS declines Kentucky clerk’s case

U.S. Supreme Court Justices Clarence Thomas and Samuel A. Alito Jr. on Monday blasted the high court’s 2015 decision finding a constitutional right to same-sex marriage for its “cavalier treatment" of religious objections to such unions.

Oct 5, 2020 1:45 PM CDT

A top SCOTUS contender, Amy Coney Barrett is likely to draw scrutiny for decisions on abortion, campus sex assault

Considered one of the top contenders for a U.S. Supreme Court nomination, U.S. Circuit Judge Amy Coney Barrett is known as a conservative who shows a strong deference to religious values.

Sep 21, 2020 2:04 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Bill Gates Sr. dies at 94; federal judiciary seeks $500M for better security

Bill Gates Sr., lawyer and ABA Medal winner, dies at 94 Lawyer and 2009 ABA Medal winner Bill Gates Sr. has died at age 94. Gates was a name partner at K&L Gates and a co-chair at the foundation established by his son, Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates. When he was…

Sep 16, 2020 4:55 PM CDT

En banc court rules Florida can require felons to pay fines before voting; 5 Trump appointees join majority

An en banc federal appeals court has ruled that Florida did not violate the Constitution by requiring felons to pay fines, fees, costs and restitution before they are able to vote.

Sep 11, 2020 3:40 PM CDT

Judge doesn’t have qualified immunity for alleged sex harassment, 3rd Circuit says

A federal appeals court has ruled that a Pennsylvania judge does not have qualified immunity for allegedly coercing a probation officer into sexual relations and continuing to harass her when the relationship ended.

Aug 26, 2020 9:32 AM CDT

Lawyer who called female judge’s opinion ‘succubustic’ sues over potential ethics charges

A California lawyer contends that he was advocating within permissible bounds when he called a female judge’s opinion “succubustic,” a reference to a female demon that has intercourse with men in their sleep.

Aug 12, 2020 1:24 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Lawyer denies ‘monstrous’ harassment; US appeals judge dies from COVID-19

Kentucky lawyer says sexual acts were consensual A Kentucky lawyer accused of “monstrous and inhuman” sexual misbehavior says two former employees who sued him for harassment consented to “touching and petting” and willingly exchanged explicit photos. The lawyer, Shane Romines, said in his lawsuit response, filed last week, that one…

Aug 10, 2020 4:29 PM CDT

Supreme Court lifts injunction requiring COVID-19 safety measures at jail

The U.S. Supreme Court on Wednesday lifted an injunction requiring the sheriff of Orange County, California, to implement COVID-19 safety measures at the jail.

Aug 6, 2020 9:27 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: US accuses China hackers; TRO blocks restaurant reopening

US indictment accuses China of backing vaccine hackers An indictment unsealed Tuesday accuses China of backing two hackers who stole trade secrets in a 10-year campaign waged partly for the Chinese government and partly for their own personal gain. Most recently, the hackers targeted companies developing COVID-19 vaccines, according to…

Jul 21, 2020 4:56 PM CDT