US Supreme Court allows Idaho gender-affirming care ban for minors to go into effect
The US Supreme Court granted an emergency request for stay led by Idaho officials, allowing the state to temporarily enforce a statewide ban on gender-affirming care for certain minors. This ban is one of the first cases related to transgender health care to reach the nation’s highest court. Labrador v. Poe is the case that [...]
The US Supreme Court heard arguments Monday on whether Indian Health Services (IHS) should be reimbursed for “contract support costs” associated with third parties, such as Medicare and Medicaid. In a US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit decision, the court found that third-party reimbursements could not be excluded under its statute. In contrast, [...]
US Supreme Court allows challenge against No Fly List placement to proceed
The US Supreme Court ruled Tuesday that Yonas Fikre’s challenge to his previous placement on the No Fly List can proceed, rejecting the government’s claim that his removal from the list rendered the lawsuit void. The court unanimously decided that the government failed to demonstrate the case was moot, finding it was possible the government [...]
US Supreme Court rules public officials can be sued for blocking users on social media in some cases
The US Supreme Court ruled Friday that public officials can be sued for blocking users on social media if the official posts about state matters and is authorized to speak for the state. The court decided that blocking users only qualifies as “state action” under 42 U.S.C § 1983, which authorizes lawsuits against public officials [...]
US appeals court agrees to re-hear Hawaii butterfly knife ban case
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit agreed to re-hear the court’s 2023 three-judge panel decision Thursday which struck down a ban on butterfly knives in Hawaii. Chief Judge Mary Murguia vacated the panel’s previous decision setting up another test for the scope of the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling in New York State [...]
The US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit ruled on Friday that three Georgia citizens under 21 years old have standing to sue county probate judges over the state law that disallows issuing carry licenses to people under 21. The case is an appeal from the US District Court for the Southern District of [...]
US appeals court overrules decision blocking California ammunition background check law
A three-judge panel from the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Monday overruled a lower court decision that blocked a California law requiring individuals seeking to buy ammunition to undergo a background check, allowing the state to mandate background checks for ammunition buyers. The 2-1 decision by Judges Richard Clifton and Holly [...]
The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit blocked on Thursday prison inmates’ lawsuit against Oregon Governor Kate Brown and others for putting the inmates on the lowest tier of priority for access to the COVID-19 vaccine. The court found that the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act immunized state officials and the vaccine [...]
US federal appeals court rules seizure of 700 safety deposit boxes unconstitutional
The Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that the seizure of 700 safety deposit boxes under the process of civil asset forfeiture went beyond the warrant issued and violated the Fourth Amendment prohibition against unreasonable search and seizure. The case began in 2021, when the Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) obtained a warrant to [...]
US Supreme Court to hear arguments on legality of banning encampments on public land
The US Supreme Court announced Friday that it has granted certiorari in the case City of Grants Pass, Oregon v. Johnson, which challenges cities banning or heavily regulating encampments of unhoused people on public land under the 8th Amendment of the US Constitution’s prohibition on “cruel and unusual punishment.” The case surrounds several parts of [...]
