Public Interest

Supreme Court lets Trump end temporary protections for Haitian, Syrian migrants

The Trump administration can cancel temporary humanitarian protections for Haitian and Syrian immigrants living legally in the United States, the Supreme Court found on Thursday, a decision that could allow the government to deport hundreds of thousands of people starting this year.

Jun 25, 2026 12:01 PM CDT

Supreme Court strikes down Hawaii limits on carrying guns in public

The Supreme Court on Thursday struck down a Hawaii law that sharply restricts where people can carry guns in public, the latest ruling by the high court in recent years rolling back firearm restrictions.

Jun 25, 2026 11:55 AM CDT

Judge tosses free speech claim of former public defender who alleged burnout

A judge in Denver on Wednesday dismissed a First Amendment claim of an attorney who is suing the Colorado state public defender, alleging that he was fired after speaking out about case overload.

Jun 25, 2026 11:43 AM CDT

9th Circuit allows religious bias lawsuit against Alaska Airlines to move forward

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at San Francisco has revived a religious bias lawsuit brought by two former flight attendants with Alaska Airlines.

Jun 25, 2026 11:26 AM CDT

ACLU leader and social justice advocate Anthony D. Romero to receive ABA Thurgood Marshall Award

The American Bar Association Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice will honor civil rights and social justice trailblazer Anthony D. Romero, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), on Aug. 1 during the ABA Annual Conference in Chicago. He is the first Hispanic recipient of the Thurgood Marshall Award.

Jun 25, 2026 9:28 AM CDT

ABA Free Legal Answers marks major milestone, responding to 500K questions

ABA President Michelle Behnke is one of thousands of pro bono attorneys who helped Free Legal Answers reach its latest major milestone, surpassing a total of 500,000 questions answered in the last decade.

Jun 25, 2026 8:35 AM CDT

Federal judge bars ICE from making arrests at immigration courts

A federal judge on Tuesday issued a nationwide ban on policies by the Trump administration allowing U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents to arrest immigrants going to and from immigration court hearings.

Jun 24, 2026 12:03 PM CDT

Court awards $640K to judge who refused to marry same-sex couples

A judge in Waco, Texas, who was disciplined for refusing to perform same-sex weddings was awarded $640,000 in her lawsuit against the state’s judicial oversight agency.

Jun 24, 2026 10:20 AM CDT

Supreme Court says Rastafarian can’t sue prison officials over shorn dreadlocks

The Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled a Rastafarian can’t pursue a lawsuit against prison officials who forcibly sheared his dreadlocks in violation of a court order while he was incarcerated at a facility in Louisiana.

Jun 23, 2026 12:45 PM CDT

Federal judiciary raises concerns over deepfakes when opposing courtroom cameras

The federal judiciary continues to oppose legislation that would bring cameras into its courtrooms, in part because of increasing concerns over deepfakes.

Jun 22, 2026 8:39 AM CDT

Ohio restrictions on kids’ use of social media restored by court

Ohio's law requiring parental consent for children under 16 to use social media apps must be restored, the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has ruled.

Jun 22, 2026 7:30 AM CDT

Rule requiring jurists to visit jails promotes confidence in courts, chief judge says

Starting in 2028, all New York judges who serve in criminal or family courts must visit a prison, a jail or a detention facility at least once per year.

Jun 18, 2026 10:45 AM CDT

Supreme Court, rarely sympathetic in death penalty cases, finds a few with merit this term

Most, though not all, death penalty defendants seek 11th-hour relief that reaches the Supreme Court on its emergency docket. The justices deny almost all of those applications, usually without dissent. But last week, the court provided a rare win to a death row inmate by rejecting Alabama’s emergency request to allow it to execute convicted murderer Jeffery Lee by nitrogen hypoxia.

Jun 18, 2026 10:24 AM CDT

Government can’t restrict gun ownership over marijuana use, Supreme Court rules

The Supreme Court on Thursday found that a Texas man could not be prosecuted under a federal law that prohibits regular users of controlled substances, such as marijuana, from possessing firearms.

Jun 18, 2026 9:52 AM CDT

ABA 2026 Pro Bono Publico honorees recognized for extraordinary service in the field

A Chicago litigator, a New York trial lawyer and a Midwestern law school’s pro bono initiatives are recipients of the American Bar Association 2026 Pro Bono Publico Award, which annually recognizes individuals and groups for their commitment to volunteer legal services for low-income and disadvantaged persons.

Jun 18, 2026 8:17 AM CDT