Supreme Court will review Colorado ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether a Colorado ban on conversion therapy for LGBTQ minors—which aims to change sexual orientation or gender identity through counseling—violates the First Amendment.

Mar 10, 2025 1:38 PM CDT

Bill to create 66 new federal judgeships advances

The House Judiciary Committee approved a bill Wednesday that would create 66 new federal judgeships.

Mar 6, 2025 1:56 PM CST

Protect domestic violence survivors by protecting their pets, ABA House says

At the ABA Midyear Meeting in Phoenix on Monday, the ABA House of Delegates considered how to best meet the needs of pet owners in family law and civil protection order proceedings.

Feb 3, 2025 6:42 PM CST

States are starting to offer reduced prison time to survivors of domestic violence

According to one study of women in Oklahoma’s prisons, 66% were abused by a partner the year before they were incarcerated. The state has a new law that allows domestic violence survivors to seek shorter sentences. Oklahoma is one of only a handful of states to pass laws that provide sentencing relief specifically for domestic violence survivors.

Feb 1, 2025 1:00 AM CST

Northern Star: John Choi is leading efforts to redefine justice in Minnesota

When John Choi became the city attorney for St. Paul, Minnesota, he didn’t have much experience with criminal law. “What I found was that a lot of times, the things that happened in these cases didn’t really produce an outcome that I think would have made the public proud,” Choi says.

Feb 1, 2025 1:00 AM CST

ABA and its members have shaped the Violence Against Women Act for 30 years

The ABA Commission on Domestic & Sexual Violence and VAWA both celebrated their 30th anniversary last fall.

Feb 1, 2025 12:55 AM CST

A new Congress brings new advocacy opportunities

The 119th Congress has been gaveled to order, bringing with it new opportunities to advance the interests of the legal profession. The ABA is already communicating with the Trump administration, new and returning members of Congress, and agency officials to introduce our association and focus their attention on important issues like access to justice and the rule of law.

Feb 1, 2025 12:50 AM CST

Welcome to the 119th Congress

As the dust settles from the 2024 election, the political landscape in Washington, D.C., has undergone a significant transformation. The Republican Party now controls all three branches of the U.S. government, marking a pivotal shift in governance and policy direction.

Jan 29, 2025 9:48 AM CST

11 ABA advocacy wins from the 118th Congress

Although the 118th Congress may be remembered as one of the turbulent and least productive in modern history, the ABA Governmental Affairs Office achieved notable legislative successes through close collaboration with ABA leadership, entities and advocacy partners. These efforts were further complemented by substantial progress on various policy issues before federal agencies, commissions and other administrative bodies in the last two years that impact the legal profession, access to justice and the rule of law.

Jan 29, 2025 8:46 AM CST

ABA calls on senators to oppose ‘deeply concerning’ immigration bill

The ABA is urging the U.S. Senate to vote against an immigration reform bill that would require the detention of noncitizens who committed “certain low-level offenses.”

Jan 17, 2025 9:35 AM CST

When should life sentences be overturned? Judge shares how he decides

A federal judge’s new book is giving readers a rare inside glimpse at how a judge determines which prisoners deserve to have their sentences overturned.

Jan 8, 2025 9:30 AM CST

Attorney-client privilege should cover electronic messages to federal prisoners, ABA president says

Dec 19, 2024 9:24 AM CST

Has constitutional-convention threshold already been met? It happened in 1979, GOP lawmaker says

The 34-state threshold for calling a constitutional convention has already been reached, if the U.S. Constitution’s Article V counts any state request for a convention, no matter what the topic, according to a professor at the Georgetown University Law Center.

Dec 17, 2024 2:15 PM CST

Congress has passed a bill to add more US judges; will Biden veto it?

A bill that would create dozens of new federal judgeships across the country received final approval in Congress on Thursday morning, setting up a likely veto from President Joe Biden even as his administration pushes to confirm his final nominees to fill existing judicial vacancies.

Dec 12, 2024 3:12 PM CST

ABA Legislative Priorities Survey helps members set the agenda

As lawyers and legal professionals, the importance of our collective voice in shaping the future of our profession and society cannot be overstated. The American Bar Association is once again inviting its members to participate in the Legislative Priorities Survey, a critical tool that helps determine the focus of the ABA’s advocacy efforts in Washington, D.C.

Dec 1, 2024 12:20 AM CST