Rhode Island

Supreme Court allows eased voting requirements in Rhode Island and notes state support

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday refused to interfere with a consent decree that allowed Rhode Island voters to use mail-in ballots without having to get two witnesses or a notary to verify their signature.

Aug 13, 2020 3:37 PM CDT

Students have a right to a basic minimum education, 6th Circuit rules

The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Cincinnati ruled Thursday that Detroit students at five lower-performing schools have a fundamental right to a basic minimum education.

Apr 24, 2020 10:22 AM CDT

Pandemic power plays: Civil liberties in the time of COVID-19

The power to respond to a public health crisis exists in the U.S. Constitution, state constitutions, regulations and case law. But the way they fit together is not always clear, especially in the wake of a modern-day global crisis.

Apr 21, 2020 8:00 AM CDT

COVID-19 checkpoints at state and local borders bring lawsuit, ACLU warning

Some states and local communities are instituting checkpoints at their borders, either to warn drivers that they must quarantine or to keep out nonresidents. The checkpoints are raising constitutional questions.

Apr 16, 2020 11:47 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Lawyer threatened jail time for people with unpaid 911 bills; R. Kelly indicted on new charges

Lawyer threatened jail to people with unpaid 911 responder bills After a debt collection attorney allegedly threatened more than 800 people with imprisonment for not paying money owed to Trinity EMS in the Massachusetts, the medical emergency services provider has canceled their debt, which amounts of $1.6 million. The agreement…

Mar 13, 2020 3:36 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Trump’s ‘clemency blitz’ helps Blago; federal judges to discuss Roger Stone case

President Trump goes on a ‘clemency blitz,’ and the list is long President Donald Trump has pardoned junk bond king Michael Milken, former New York City Police Commissioner Bernard Kerik and former San Francisco 49ers owner Edward J. DeBartolo Jr. in what the Associated Press calls a “clemency blitz.” Milken…

Feb 18, 2020 4:37 PM CST

Afternoon Briefs: Pelosi prepares impeachment articles for Senate; lawyer faces charges over deceased father’s pension

Pelosi plans to send impeachment articles to Senate next week House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said in a letter to House Democrats on Friday that she is preparing to send the impeachment articles to the Senate to start the trial of President Donald Trump. “I have asked Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerry…

Jan 10, 2020 4:42 PM CST

Criminal cases that involved lawyers’ spitting and shoving match are resolved

Two cases brought by a personal injury lawyer and the father of another attorney after they got into a spitting and shoving match are no longer sitting in criminal court in Providence, Rhode Island. Last week, Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha filed the assault case against attorney Stephen J.…

Jul 3, 2019 2:51 PM CDT

New York legislature OKs ban on gay and trans ‘panic defenses’

New York is poised to join the increasing number of states that are banning gay and trans “panic defenses” in murder cases. As the ABA Journal reported in January, legislatures have increasingly considered this type of ban.

Jun 26, 2019 6:00 AM CDT

Advocates sue Rhode Island to require civics ed for students

Students and their parents are suing Rhode Island, alleging the state has failed to prepare young people for the rigors of citizenship.

Jun 1, 2019 1:50 AM CDT

How the Americans with Disabilities Act could change the way the nation’s jails and prisons treat addiction

Before Geoffrey Pesce got on methadone, his addiction to heroin and oxycodone nearly destroyed him: He lost his home, his job, custody of his son—and his driver’s license. So even after he began to rebuild his life, Pesce relied on his parents to drive him to a methadone clinic for his daily dose. One day last July, his mother was unexpectedly unavailable, and desperate not to relapse, he drove himself.

Feb 8, 2019 6:30 AM CST

See the video: Lawyer arrested for allegedly spitting on father of former colleague

Updated: A personal injury lawyer in Providence, Rhode Island, was arrested on Monday for allegedly shoving and spitting on the father of a onetime colleague. The lawyer, 59-year-old Stephen Dennis, was charged with misdemeanor assault, report the Providence Journal and WPRI.com. Dennis pleaded not guilty to the charge. Police say…

Dec 4, 2018 10:39 AM CST

Democrats pepper Kavanaugh with written questions, including if he had a gambling problem

Some Democrats are sending Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh extensive written follow-up questions after his more than 20 hours of testimony during Senate Judiciary Committee hearings last week.

Sep 12, 2018 11:53 AM CDT

Are you covered? Cyber insurance market is highly unstable and lacks uniformity

As cyberthreats evolve and proliferate, more insurers are expanding options to help law firms mitigate loss. However, without industry standards, coverage and cost vary from plan to plan, sometimes causing gaps in potential coverage.

Jun 1, 2018 1:15 AM CDT

Suspended Rhode Island lawyer jailed for failing to pay sanction

Updated: A suspended Rhode Island lawyer was jailed on a civil contempt charge for failing to pay more than $11,000 of a sanction imposed for making misrepresentations to the court. The “lawyer and provocateur,” Keven A. McKenna of Providence, was arrested on Tuesday, the Providence Journal reports. On Thursday afternoon,…

Jan 12, 2018 10:53 AM CST