All Law & Courts
First LookTears flow in final day of Jackson testimony with Booker's speechAn impassioned speech from Sen. Cory Booker celebrating Ketanji Brown Jackson鈥檚 ability to break through racial ceilings drew tears from the Supreme Court nominee after she withstood hours of pointed questions from the Judiciary Committee鈥檚 Republicans.
Senators decried lack of civility. Then the Jackson hearings began.Can the Senate restore luster to the confirmation process that it has battered over the past five years?
First LookWhat to expect: Hearings for first Black woman nominated to high courtOn Monday, Senate hearings begin for聽Ketanji Brown Jackson,聽the first Black woman nominated to the Supreme Court. What are the stumbling blocks to her nomination?
First LookFederal judge: Denial of same-sex marriage license violated rightsAfter a Supreme Court decision granting same-sex couples the right to marry nationwide, Kim Davis, a Kentucky county clerk who has a religious objection to same-sex marriage, stopped issuing all marriage licenses.
First Look鈥楽he鈥檚 very well prepared鈥�: Ketanji Brown Jackson鈥檚 collegial Senate visitsAs she meets with senators before her confirmation hearings, Supreme Court nominee Ketanji Brown Jackson restores a collegial tone to a process that had grown embittered.
First LookSCOTUS to GOP: State courts congressional districting to standThe Supreme Court turned away Republican objections to North Carolina and Pennsylvania state courts鈥� rulings on congressional districting plans, a move seen as a benefit to Democrats.
First LookPurdue Pharma case reaches settlement, leaving families conflictedOxyContin maker Purdue Pharma has agreed Thursday to pay up to $6 billion to settle a lawsuit for its role in the opioid crisis. The owners issued a statement of regret for the first time, leaving victims鈥� families conflicted but hopeful.聽
A public defender has never served on Supreme Court. Jackson would be first.Most Americans know the words by heart: 鈥淵ou have the right to an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be provided.鈥� The work of a public defender is enshrined in the U.S. Constitution. Ketanji Brown Jackson could be the first Supreme Court justice to have performed that role.
First LookFederal jury finds three officers violated Floyd鈥檚 civil rightsOn Thursday, the three Minneapolis police officers who were at the scene of George Floyd鈥檚 killing alongside Derek Chauvin were found guilty by a federal jury and convicted for violating Mr. Floyd鈥檚 civil rights. The three officers will face additional state charges in June.
Hate crimes, Ahmaud Arbery鈥檚 murder, and why motive mattersAhmaud Arbery鈥檚 murderers were already sentenced to life in prison. On Tuesday, they were found guilty of a hate crime in a trial that federal prosecutors, a jury, and above all Mr. Arbery鈥檚 mother thought was vital to justice.
First LookJury convicts three of hate crimes in Arbery murderA federal jury in Brunswick, Georgia, found all three defendants guilty of hate crimes Tuesday morning in the killing of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black jogger. The three white men were previously convicted for Mr. Arbery's murder in a Georgia state court.聽
First LookUS women鈥檚 soccer team reaches $24M deal in push for equal payThe U.S. women鈥檚 soccer team has been winning on the field for years. On Tuesday, they scored big at the negotiating table. After a six-year legal battle for equal pay, players on the national team reached a $24 million settlement with the U.S. Soccer Federation.
First Look'Say his name': Cop who killed Daunte Wright sentenced to 2 yearsFormer suburban Minneapolis police officer Kim Potter, who fatally shot Daunte Wright during a traffic stop in 2021, was sentenced to two years in prison Friday. Ms. Potter alleges she mistook her gun for her Taser when Mr. Wright tried to flee the scene.
First LookIn landmark deal, Sandy Hook families reach $73M settlementOn Tuesday, families of nine victims of the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting reached a $73 million settlement with Remington, the company that made the rifle the shooter used. The families say they brought the lawsuit to hold gun manufacturers accountable.聽
First LookCalifornia moves to 鈥榬epurpose鈥� the nation鈥檚 largest death rowCalifornia is planning to dismantle its death row, the nation鈥檚 largest, by moving all condemned inmates to other prisons within two years and aiming to turn the section into a 鈥減ositive, healing environment.鈥�
First LookBehind Biden's high court pledge: Black women's growing powerIn the wake of Justice Stephen Breyer鈥檚 retirement announcement, President Joe Biden reiterated a campaign pledge to nominate a Black woman. The promise illustrates how much Democrats rely on Black women, and their increasing power in government.
Minority report: How justices from Harlan to Breyer shaped legal opinionFrom great dissenters to bridge builders, members in the minority on the U.S. Supreme Court have found ways to shape the country鈥檚 jurisprudence.
First LookBattle weary Dems perk up with opportunity to fill high court seatDemocrats embraced Wednesday鈥檚 news of liberal Justice Stephen Breyer鈥檚 coming retirement. Frustrated by a series of legislative defeats, many Democrats聽see the opportunity to appoint a liberal judge as way to renew voter support for the party.
First LookJustice Breyer, a pragmatic bridge builder, set to retireSupreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is retiring after almost three decades on the bench. After Justice Breyer steps down, a move expected to occur this summer, many expect President Joe Biden will聽nominate the first Black woman to the high court.聽
鈥楻ecord speed and focus鈥�: Biden鈥檚 judicial picks diversify benchAmong President Joe Biden鈥檚 most impressive achievements in his first year in office: the number and diversity of federal judges聽who聽have been confirmed.
