All Law & Courts
Supreme Court ruling has 'huge' implications for voting rightsThe final week in June is always a big one for Supreme Court watchers, and this week will bring major decisions on the Trump White House's travel ban and the future of public unions. Today, the justices issued a ruling with 'huge ramifications' for voting rights law.
Cell signal: What high court ruling may mean for future of digital privacyWhat expectation of privacy do consumers have in an increasingly technological world? New technology is forcing more answers 鈥� and reinterpretation of the Constitution.
First LookOnline shopping just got a bit more expensive with new sales tax ruleThe US Supreme Court ruled that states will be able place sales taxes on items from聽out of state, but analysts say businesses most likely won't lose many customers, as most shoppers find online shopping too convenient to give up.
On US-Mexican border, the rules change, but human impulses don'tImmigration is a topic heavy with statistics and policy proposals. But it's also about humanity. Our reporter went to the Texas-Mexico border to hear stories from people on both sides.
First LookSupreme Court: gerrymandering arguments must prove harm to votersThe high court overturned a Wisconsin ruling, and issued two largely procedural decisions on Monday, disappointing Democrats. The Supreme Court will decide whether to hear two North Carolina cases in June.聽Both states are important swing states.
Family separation: Evangelicals add their voices to oppositionFor many white Evangelicals, the administration鈥檚 zero-tolerance approach to asylum-seekers is putting their support for President Trump in conflict with their reverence for the sanctity of families.
On election issues, US Supreme Court sticks to the shallowsAfter seeming poised to finally define a key unknown in American democracy 鈥� when partisan gerrymandering becomes extreme enough to be considered illegal 鈥� the high court demurred on Monday.
Amid legal attack on key health-law provision, uncertainty and uproarThe latest legal battle over "Obamacare" pits the Trump administration against Republicans in Congress, highlighting a value that spans partisan divides: concern for helping people with "preexisting conditions."
Inspector general on Comey: dissecting an error in judgmentThe former FBI director violated policies and procedures when he commented publicly about the revived Clinton investigation, the Justice Department inspector general concluded.
After asylum limits, some ask: Does 'gang violence' need a new name?On Monday, Attorney General Jeff Sessions announced that domestic abuse and gang violence cannot be considered grounds for asylum.聽
First LookSessions rules domestic, gang violence not grounds for seeking asylumIn a 31-page decision Attorney General Jeff Sessions has ruled that judges cannot "generally" accept victims of domestic or gang violence to be given asylum. Immigration advocates say there could be tens of thousands of domestic violence cases in court backlogs.聽 聽
Next up for prison reform: how best to use education as a path forwardWith high incarceration rates, the United States is focused on reducing recidivism. Providing access to education is one way to do so, offering a sense of engagement and value to those who are transitioning back into society.
With cake-shop ruling, high court urges respect for both sidesThe careful calibration of Monday's US Supreme Court ruling in the Masterpiece Cake Shop case resulted in no sweeping decision. Instead, it "invited us all to turn down the heat in the culture wars," says one legal scholar.
In Boston, pushback on controversial ICE tactic separating familiesA federal court is examining the legality of ICE's practice of detaining unauthorized immigrants with US spouses at their green-card hearings. Thomas Brophy, acting director for New England, testified last week that ICE agents in the seven-state region would stop the practice.
FocusDetained immigrant children bring scrutiny to Trump鈥檚 border policyPresident Trump, who campaigned on strengthening US borders, introduced a new policy early this month of separating children from parents who have crossed into the United States illegally. Separately, the government recently admitted that it was unable to locate 1,475 unaccompanied minors.
First LookIllinois becomes 37th state to ratify Equal Rights AmendmentThe Equal Rights Amendment (ERA), a ruling that would guarantee women equal rights in the United States Constitution, was passed Wednesday in the state of Illinois. One more state needs to pass the ERA for it to be included within the US Constitution.聽
First LookSupreme Court upholds Arkansas law restricting medication-induced abortionsPlanned Parenthood attempted to appeal a decision to restrict medication-induced abortions in Arkansas, but was denied a hearing by Supreme Court justices. The decision has reinforced Republican-supported laws that aim to limit abortion services.聽
First LookDischarged veterans work to end employment discriminationFor veterans who receive less-than-honorable discharges from the military, finding a job can be a major challenge. But a group of advocates have begun to push state and federal governments to prevent employers from considering discharge status in hiring.聽
First LookStuck in legal limbo, Dreamers fight to practice lawDACA recipients have now had just enough time to graduate from high school, get a bachelor's degree, and now, in some cases, a law degree. Those who have聽are positioning themselves for a fight to be able to practice law.聽
Setback for workers: What fallout as Supreme Court OKs forced arbitration?Some employers have faced allegations of widespread workplace discrimination or cheating workers on their pay. Yet increasingly workers are asked to waive any right to class-action lawsuits in order to be hired. A Supreme Court ruling now gives employers added leverage.
