State Government

Utah announces skills-based path to law licensure

Last week, the Utah Supreme Court approved a new process that requires candidates to perform 240 hours of post-graduation supervised practice, complete specific skills-based coursework, and pass a new one-day written test.

Oct 2, 2025 3:50 PM CDT

Presiding over remote court calendar while riding in car among reasons for judge’s suspension

A Minnesota judge was reprimanded and suspended from office without pay for nine months, for abusing his authority in a dispute over his court reporter’s pay and presiding over a remote court calendar from a moving car. But a third allegation concerning bias against noncitizen juveniles was not a factor in the sanction.

Sep 30, 2025 12:03 PM CDT

ABA law school accreditation should end, Texas justices say

The Texas Supreme Court on Friday tentatively approved minimizing or possibly eliminating the role of the council of the ABA Section of Legal Education and Admissions to the Bar in accrediting the state’s law schools, moving those powers to the court itself.

Sep 29, 2025 3:50 PM CDT

Changes in leadership, oversight come to State Bar of California

In the wake of California’s disastrous rollout of a new, proprietary bar exam in February, the state is mandating additional oversight responsibilities to its testing process.

Sep 26, 2025 2:09 PM CDT

Lawyer suspended after criticizing client’s mothering skills in response to negative review

A Denver lawyer who called a client “a terrible mother” in response to a negative Facebook review has been suspended from law practice for her online comments and her conduct in three other cases.

Sep 25, 2025 9:31 AM CDT

Proposal for one-year degree for criminal justice lawyers rejected by Arizona Supreme Court

A proposal to allow graduates of a special one-year program to prosecute or represent criminal defendants has been rejected by the Arizona Supreme Court.

Sep 25, 2025 9:27 AM CDT

Tennessee joins 3 other states in reconsidering law school accreditation process

Citing the need to address access to justice, the Tennessee Supreme Court is asking for comments on potential reforms for accrediting law schools and admission to the bar, which include reconsidering the ABA’s role in that process.

Sep 22, 2025 1:22 PM CDT

Judge wielded power ‘like a tyrant’ but is ‘not beyond redemption,’ state supreme court says in removal order

The Indiana Supreme Court has removed a judge from office and permanently banned him from the bench, saying he “wielded his position of power like a tyrant” as he favored certain litigants while degrading others.

Sep 17, 2025 10:49 AM CDT

Fani Willis loses bid to regain control of Trump Georgia case

ATLANTA—The Georgia Supreme Court declined on Tuesday to hear Fulton County District Attorney Fani T. Willis’s appeal of a lower-court decision that disqualified her from the criminal racketeering case against President Donald Trump and several allies charged with illegally conspiring to overturn Trump’s 2020 election loss in the state.

Sep 16, 2025 10:53 AM CDT

Suspended lawyer accused of citing hallucinated case in bid to reinstate law license

A suspended Iowa lawyer cited at least one hallucinated case likely generated by artificial intelligence in his bid to return to law practice, according to a motion filed by the Iowa Supreme Court Attorney Disciplinary Board.

Sep 12, 2025 9:27 AM CDT

Does Trump have power to unilaterally impose tariffs? Supreme Court will decide

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to decide whether President Donald Trump may use emergency powers granted in a 1977 law to impose tariffs without congressional authorization.

Sep 10, 2025 10:49 AM CDT

Court is not ‘enforcement division’ for ‘Miss Manners,’ concurring judge says as discipline case is tossed

The Kansas Supreme Court has rejected a recommended censure against a former district attorney who issued a press release questioning a chief judge’s statements about a plan to host jury trials at the county fairgrounds during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Sep 3, 2025 12:35 PM CDT

Discarding mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania violated voters’ constitutional rights, 3rd Circuit rules

A Pennsylvania law requiring election officials to toss mail-in ballots if they contain missing or incorrect dates impermissibly burdens the constitutional right to vote, the 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Philadelphia ruled Tuesday.

Aug 28, 2025 2:34 PM CDT

Texas Showdown: Legal battle looming over Ten Commandments in schools

With a new state law set to kick in Monday requiring the Ten Commandments be displayed in every public classroom in Texas, many school districts this week are scrambling to figure out what to do. Some are holding off following a federal judge’s recent ruling against the mandate. Others are racing to fundraise for donated posters of the commandments.

Aug 27, 2025 8:43 AM CDT

Lawyer’s disciplinary probation should be revoked after he ‘failed miserably,’ hearing board says

A Louisiana lawyer should by suspended because he “failed miserably” while on disciplinary probation for mishandling his client trust account, according to a recommendation by a hearing committee of the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board.

Aug 26, 2025 9:20 AM CDT