All Law & Courts
Arkansas' tough new abortion law on shaky legal ground, experts sayWith a legislative override of the governor's veto, Arkansas has adopted perhaps the toughest abortion law in the country 鈥� outlawing abortions after 12 weeks. But legal challenges are coming.
Michigan judge delays case to await Supreme Court rulings on gay marriageThe Michigan case aims to allow same-sex couples to adopt children and, therefore, to marry, but it's likely to be impacted by two landmark gay-rights cases before the US Supreme Court.
One-cop Georgia town considers making gun ownership mandatoryNelson, Ga., might require homeowners to have a gun. The idea that people should be ready to protect themselves while waiting for police to come is percolating in gun-rights circles.
Attorney General Holder promises more openness about drone attacksThe White House is under pressure about targeting terrorists with drones, including a filibuster by Sen. Rand Paul. Attorney General Eric Holder told聽a Senate committee, 'I heard you and the president heard you.'
George Zimmerman: Why did he abandon a 'stand your ground' hearing?George Zimmerman, the defendant in the Trayvon Martin murder case, was widely expected to claim immunity under Florida's 'stand your ground' law. The defense's calculations have changed.
Chicago homicides drop dramatically as police target 'hot zones'Chicago has been struggling with a rising homicide rate but February saw a drop to levels not seen in more than 50 years. A new police strategy might be helping, but it might not be sustainable.
Is Massachusetts more racist than Mississippi, as Chief Justice Roberts hints?In deciding whether to strike down a portion of the Voting Rights Act, the Supreme Court is focusing on whether the South has redeemed its racist history. Massachusetts, though, has a quibble with Chief Justice Roberts.
Bradley Manning pleads guilty to some WikiLeaks chargesArmy Pfc. Bradley Manning has pleaded guilty to charges that he broke military rules in providing classified information to WikiLeaks. But he denies the more serious charges of aiding the enemy during wartime, for which he still faces a court martial.- Illinois man convicted in noose attack ordered to write essay on lynchingMatthew Herrmann聽was sentenced to researching and explaining the history of lynching in America.聽Herrmann plead guilty to battery charges after he and two friends placed a noose around the neck of an African American teenager.聽
Gay marriage: why corporations are coming out against DOMANearly 300 US companies filed a brief on behalf of the New York woman whose challenge of DOMA has reached the Supreme Court. Why support gay marriage? For one, it's just good business.
Voting Rights Act case: Supreme Court questioning is lively, pointedAt the US Supreme Court on Wednesday, defenders of the 1965 Voting Rights Act argued that the judiciary should defer to Congress's judgment that the law is still needed as is. Several justices indicated that they thought not.
Progress WatchWhy juvenile incarceration reached its lowest rate in 38 yearsThe juvenile incarceration in the US rate has fallen 41 percent in the past 15 years, reaching the lowest level since 1975, a new study finds. What is behind the rapid decline?
Can police collect DNA when someone is arrested? Supreme Court to decide.At issue in the case the Supreme Court considered Tuesday is whether collecting DNA from an arrestee without first obtaining a warrant is an unreasonable search under the Fourth Amendment.- Voting Rights Act: Is major portion outdated? Supreme Court to hear arguments.Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act requires some state and local governments to obtain federal clearance for changes in voting procedures. In 2008 the Supreme Court said the section needed updating.
A year after Trayvon Martin shooting, is America much changed?The trend in the states toward liberalized self-defense and gun laws appears to have stalled in the year since unarmed teenager Trayvon Martin was shot and killed in Sanford, Fla. But states that already had such laws have stuck with them.
Surveillance law: US group can't challenge it, Supreme Court rulesA 2008 surveillance law allows the US government to detect and track the messages of would-be foreign terrorists. Critics say it is overly broad, but on Tuesday the Supreme Court blocked a challenge to it.
FocusLegacy of Christopher Dorner case: rekindled distrust, resentment of policeWhen ex-cop Christopher Dorner pursued his fatal vendetta against Los Angeles Police Department, his cause resonated with some in the black community. Why has the old rift between police and minorities been so hard to heal?
Campaign finance: Supreme Court declines case on contributions by corporationsA ban on contributions to candidates from corporations has been in effect since 1907. On Monday, the Supreme Court turned away a campaign-finance case seeking to allow such contributions.
Obama administration to argue for gay marriage in Supreme Court caseThe US Supreme Court next month hears arguments in a case challenging the 'Defense of Marriage Act.' In a brief filed Friday, the Obama administration asserts that DOMA discriminates against gay and lesbian couples in violation of the US Constitution.
'Trial of the century': Can BP deflect blame for Gulf oil spill?What once seemed likely 鈥� a settlement 鈥� now appears off the table as the US prepares to take BP to court in New Orleans on Monday, alleging the company exhibited 'gross negligence' in the lead-up to the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010. At stake: $17 billion.
