All Law & Courts
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.
First LookPolice cover up? Federal inquiry homes in on Ronald Greene case.A federal probe of a 2019 arrest in Louisiana is examining the case for obstruction of justice. During the arrest, Ronald Greene, a Black man, was punched and brutalized by police and later died. State officials refused to release body camera video for more than two years.
First LookAtlanta-area spa shooter pleads guilty to four of eight murdersThe Atlanta spa shooter, who murdered eight people聽鈥� mostly Asian women聽鈥� pleaded guilty to four of the murders and was sentenced to life in prison on Tuesday. He is also facing four other murder charges in a neighboring county, where he could face the death penalty.
First LookGarland launches new effort to curb gun trafficking in US citiesTo reduce gun trafficking, Attorney General Merrick Garland is sending strike forces to five major supply cities. Rather than dispatching officials to high crime areas, this effort aims to prosecute those who sell weapons to people who can鈥檛 legally own them.
First LookCapitol rioter gets 8 months for felony. What about the others?In the first punishment for a felony in response to the Jan. 6 Capitol riot, Paul Hodgkins received a sentence of eight months in prison. The sentencing may set a standard for future cases, analysts say.聽
The ExplainerTaking on Big Tech: What the Federal Trade Commission can doIs it possible to rein in the vast marketplace clout of Big Tech firms with antitrust rules? Lina Khan at the Federal Trade Commission is a believer.
First LookWhat the right to proper notice means for deportation casesThe Supreme Court ruling in April in Niz-Chavez v. Garland is starting to trickle down to the lower courts. Immigrants whose first court appearance notice did not include a date, time, and location now have grounds for dismissal in their deportation cases.
To understand this Supreme Court, watch Clarence ThomasConservative Justice Clarence Thomas has long been on the margins in the Supreme Court. But last term showed he鈥檚 now at its intellectual heart.
First LookBoy Scout settlement could be largest in U.S. sex abuse casesThe Boy Scouts of America have struck a deal to pay $850 million to survivors who experienced sexual assault by scoutmasters or other leaders as part of its bankruptcy proceedings. The number of claims has risen above 80,000.
Racial bias in voting laws? Supreme Court makes it harder to prove.The Supreme Court said two Arizona provisions had some disproportionate effect on minority voters, but not enough to trigger the Voting Rights Act.
First LookCourt overturns Bill Cosby's sexual assault convictionOn Wednesday, the Pennsylvania Supreme Court overturned Bill Cosby鈥檚 sex assault conviction, setting the stage for his release from prison. Mr. Cosby has served over two years of the sentence he was given in 2018.聽
