US Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement Wednesday, effective July 31. In a letter to President Donald Trump, Kennedy wrote: For a member of the legal profession it is the highest of honors to serve on this Court. Please permit me by this letter to express my profound gratitude for having had the [...]
The US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 Tuesday in Trump v. Hawaii that President Donald Trump’s proclamation restricting entry from particular Muslim-majority countries was within in his authority. The court also found that plaintiffs challenging the proclamation were unlikely to succeed on their claim that the ban violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Chief [...]
The US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 Friday in Carpenter v. United States that police must generally obtain a warrant in order to obtain cell phone location data. This case arose from petitioner Timothy Carpenter’s conviction for armed robbery, for which he was sentenced to 116 days in prison. At trial, the prosecution offered evidence of [...]
The US Supreme Court granted certiorari in five cases Monday, including a major antitrust case against computer giant Apple. In Apple, Inc. v. Pepper the court will decide “hether consumers may sue for antitrust damages anyone who delivers goods to them, even where they seek damages based on prices set by third parties who would [...]
The US Supreme Court handed a narrow victory Monday to a Colorado baker who had refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple citing his religious beliefs. The court ruled in Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission that the commission violated the First Amendment’s free exercise clause in assessing the cakeshop [...]
The US Supreme Court on Monday vacated and remanded the Washington State Supreme Court ruling for the Lundgren family in Upper Skagit Indian Tribe v. Lundgren . The Upper Skagit Indian Tribe had purchased a 40-acre plot of land. After a survey of the land, they believed that an acre of their property was fenced [...]
A Louisiana bill that would ban abortions after 15 weeks was given final legislative approval Wednesday. The act makes it illegal for a physician to perform an abortion after 15 weeks gestational age. Any physician who does so would face up to 10 years in prison and be subject to fines up to $100,000. The [...]
The US Supreme Court ruled 6-3 Monday in McCoy v. Louisiana that a defense lawyer cannot admit a client’s guilt over the client’s objection, even when the lawyer believes this is the client’s best chance of avoiding the death penalty. The case arose after Robert McCoy’s defense counsel conceded guilt, despite McCoy’s express objection, because [...]
A coalition of 17 states and the District of Columbia, led by California, filed suit against the Trump administration Tuesday to defend an Obama-era rule on vehicle emissions standards. The existing regulations would have required vehicles to meet...
Louisiana senators voted 31-1 Tuesday to approve a bill that would ban abortions at 15 weeks. Mississippi approved a similar 15-week abortion ban in March, drawing an immediate legal challenge. An amendment to the Louisiana bill...
