All Law & Courts
Is civics education a 鈥榬ight鈥�? Rhode Island case tests theory.An educated society is vital to democracy, but are schools obligated to teach students how government works? And who decides, states or the courts?
First Look'Not going to stop': How US Justice Department fights cybercrimeRansomware attacks, in which hackers lock and encrypt data then demand exorbitant sums of money for its release, have risen significantly in the past year. The U.S. Justice Department is committed to fighting back, using extraditions and monetary seizures.
In Texas abortion cases, hints of new Supreme Court transparencyAs it wades deeper into what鈥檚 poised to be a scrutinized term, the Supreme Court appears to be more responsive to a call for greater transparency.
First LookSupreme Court hearing on gun permit case could boost gun rightsThe U.S. Supreme Court plans to hear a case on a New York gun permit law on Wednesday that could expand the eligibility to carry firearms in public.聽The court last issued major gun rights decisions a decade ago, supporting the right to keep a gun at home for self-defense.聽
First LookCourts weigh if video and audio feeds count as 'public' trialsAs courts across the United States re-open with limited in-person capacity because of the pandemic, they鈥檙e grappling with how to guarantee the public鈥檚 right to an open trial. Is watching virtually the same as being in the courtroom?
First LookHow will jurors be chosen for the Ahmaud Arbery trial?In Georgia, 1,000 residents were mailed jury notices for the trial of Ahmaud Arbery, a Black man who was fatally shot. The court needs 16 jurors who will be selected based on their knowledge about the case, news they consume, and social media platforms they use.
First LookTexas pauses abortion law. What's next for residents, clinics?On Wednesday, a federal judge temporarily blocked the Texas law that restricts abortions for women who are more than six weeks pregnant. But, access may still be limited as clinics await a more permanent decision. Here鈥檚 a look at the legal road ahead.
The one case that could define the Supreme Court鈥檚 term 鈥� and legacyIs the law really the law, if changes in personnel result in dramatic change? That鈥檚 the question Americans face amid a fraught Supreme Court term.
First LookCourt to lift all restrictions on John Hinckley, Reagan shooterOn Monday, a federal judge ruled that John Hinckley Jr., the man who attempted to kill President Ronald Reagan in 1981 but was found not guilty due to insanity, will be freed from all court-imposed restrictions by next year should his mental health remain stable.
To build trust, Racine police moved into the neighborhoodRacine鈥檚 community policing model, pioneered in the 1990s, isn鈥檛 a fast fix 鈥� it takes time, commitment, and investment.
First LookFBI 9/11 documents: What role did Saudi officials play?
When is marriage child abuse? Shifting attitudes bring reforms.Underage marriage 鈥� in some form 鈥� is legal in 44 states. But child advocacy groups are gaining traction, and winning legislative reforms.
The ExplainerAbortion ruling and the Supreme Court鈥檚 shadow docketAn abortion decision with no oral arguments or lower court rulings? The Supreme Court is using its shadow docket for cases with potentially far-reaching implications.
First LookHigh court rebuffs emergency appeal against Texas abortion banThe U.S. Supreme Court voted 5-4 to deny an emergency appeal from abortion providers and others that sought to block enforcement of the Texas law that went into effect Wednesday.聽But the justices stressed their order isn鈥檛 a decision聽on聽the constitutionality of the law.
First LookSupreme Court allows Texas abortion ban to take effectOn Tuesday at midnight, a Texas law banning the majority of abortions in the state took effect. Despite calls from abortion rights groups, the Supreme Court has not yet acted on emergency requests to put a hold on the ban.聽
First LookSupreme Court rolls back eviction protection. What's the fallout?The Supreme Court ruled Thursday that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lacked the authority to reinstate the eviction moratorium through Oct. 2. Without action from state legislatures or Congress, 3.5 million people could soon face eviction.
First LookLawyers who challenged Michigan's 2020 election results penalizedOn Wednesday, U.S. District Judge Linda Parker charged nine lawyers allied with Donald Trump who filed a lawsuit to contest Michigan's presidential ballots with abusing the court system.聽Judge Parker ordered 12 hours of legal education for each attorney.
First LookWhy US appeals court upheld Dylann Roof's death sentenceDespite federal executions under review by the Department of Justice, an appeals court Wednesday upheld the death sentence for Dylann Roof, who killed nine people in a South Carolina church in 2015. The Trump administration carried out 13 federal execution in its last six months.
First LookShould unhoused people pay hundreds in fines? WA court rules no.On Thursday, Washington Supreme Court justices ruled it unconstitutional to impose excessive fines on a homeless man after his truck was impounded. The verdict says one鈥檚 ability to pay relative to the costs imposed must be considered.
The ExplainerThe Britney effect: Conservatorships get scrutinyBritney Spears calls her case 鈥渁busive,鈥� and her dad agreed to step down Thursday. Critics say conservatorships facilitate elder abuse and undercut disability rights.
