Illinois judge removes Trump from primary ballot

An Illinois judge ruled Wednesday that former President Donald Trump should be removed from the state’s primary ballot because of the 14th Amendment ban on insurrectionists holding office.

Feb 29, 2024 11:15 AM CST

What happens next after Supreme Court agrees to hear Trump immunity case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday agreed to weigh Donald Trump’s claim that he is immune from criminal prosecution on charges of trying to overturn the 2020 election while president, setting historic oral arguments for the week of April 22 and further delaying his trial in Washington, D.C., during this presidential election year.

Feb 29, 2024 10:00 AM CST

9th Circuit revives suit to register racehorse as ‘Malpractice Meuser,’ thought to be lawyer jab

A racehorse owner who claims that a First Amendment right to register the name of his thoroughbred as “Malpractice Meuser” can proceed with his federal lawsuit as a result of a federal appeals court's decision.

Feb 28, 2024 2:51 PM CST

‘Kennedy quiz’ stumps some federal judicial nominees; subjects include collateral estoppel and Article V

Federal judicial nominees can expect a grilling on the law from Republican U.S. Sen. John Kennedy of Louisiana, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Feb 28, 2024 1:42 PM CST

Is SCOTUS making it harder to teach constitutional law? Profs ‘depleted’ and taken aback by ‘velocity’ of change

The U.S. Supreme Court’s “hard-right supermajority” is using the doctrine of originalism to overturn established precedent, making it difficult for constitutional law professors grappling with rapid change that they think is unprincipled, according to an article in the New York Times.

Feb 27, 2024 3:10 PM CST

Alabama justice who quoted Bible in IVF case often invokes religion

In the Alabama Supreme Court ruling that said frozen embryos are people, Chief Justice Tom Parker wrote a concurring opinion that sought to define the “sanctity of unborn life,” citing heavily from scripture and theology. His opinion, which drew criticism from abortion rights activists for instilling religious beliefs into a judicial decision, was the latest in nearly 20 years on the bench in which he has repeatedly invoked religion on his way to laying the groundwork to overturn Roe v. Wade.

Feb 27, 2024 1:45 PM CST

Longtime civil rights advocate Emmet Bondurant will receive this year’s ABA Medal

Longtime civil rights advocate Emmet Bondurant “has pursued justice with unwavering integrity” throughout his career, according to the ABA, which on Monday announced that he would receive this year’s ABA Medal.

Feb 27, 2024 10:11 AM CST

Justices skeptical of Texas, Florida laws that bar platforms from deleting content

A majority of the Supreme Court seemed broadly skeptical Monday that state governments have the power to set rules for how social media platforms curate content, with both liberal and conservative justices inclined to stop Texas and Florida from immediately implementing laws that ban the removal of certain controversial posts or political content.

Feb 27, 2024 8:50 AM CST

Only 1 out of 5 defendants in this Mississippi county get court-appointed lawyers before indictment

The right to counsel is “tenuous” in a small Mississippi justice court in Yalobusha County, Mississippi, where two judges appointed lawyers for felony defendants in only 20% of the cases opened in 2022, according to an investigative report.

Feb 27, 2024 8:22 AM CST

Supreme Court’s internet inexpertise will be put to the test in social media content cases

A pair of cases, NetChoice v. Paxton and Moody v. NetChoice, ask whether states may dictate content-moderation standards or require individualized explanations when social media outlets remove or alter users’ posts.

Feb 22, 2024 1:55 PM CST

Defendant acquitted by reason of insanity can’t be retried, despite inconsistency, SCOTUS rules in Jackson opinion

The U.S. Supreme Court has unanimously ruled that Georgia can’t retry a defendant who was found not guilty of malice murder by reason of insanity, even though the verdict was inconsistent with jury findings on other charges.

Feb 21, 2024 3:13 PM CST

Chemerinsky: How not to decide Trump’s Colorado ballot case

How the U.S. Supreme Court writes its opinion in Trump v. Anderson could have enormous long-term implications. The oral arguments on Feb. 8 left no doubt that the Supreme Court will reverse the Colorado Supreme Court and hold that Donald Trump is not disqualified from being on the ballot for the Republican primary in that state.

Feb 21, 2024 8:17 AM CST

Clarence Thomas has 30 days to resign if he wants millions from John Oliver

When it comes to Supreme Court reform, John Oliver is tired of just talking about term limits and ethics codes. Instead, the late-night talk show host said he’s taking a page out of the playbook used by the rich and powerful, who the comedian said routinely lavish gifts on public servants to curry favor.

Feb 20, 2024 1:00 PM CST

Frozen embryos are children, Ala. high court says in unprecedented ruling

The Alabama Supreme Court ruled Friday that frozen embryos are people and someone can be held liable for destroying them, a decision that reproductive rights advocates say could imperil in vitro fertilization (IVF) and affect the hundreds of thousands of patients who depend on treatments like it each year.

Feb 20, 2024 9:00 AM CST

‘Spirit of Aloha’ clashes with ‘federally mandated’ gun lifestyle, Hawaii Supreme Court says

The Hawaii Supreme Court has upheld state laws that generally ban carrying guns in public in an opinion that criticizes the U.S. Supreme Court’s historical approach to Second Amendment cases.

Feb 13, 2024 12:47 PM CST