Over the objections of real estate developers, California's Sacramento County Board of Supervisors has voted to adopt one of the nation's most far-reaching affordable-housing policies. As of next month, the policy will require developers to set aside 15% of...

In the most thorough revision of Japan's penal and criminal procedure codes since their enactment in 1907, the House of Councillors on Wednesday lengthened prison terms for many felonies, increased the statute of limitations, enhanced victims' rights, and codified...

A new custody hearing ordered by the Nebraska Supreme Court after a finding that the state violated the due process rights of Guatemalan refugee Mercedes Santiago-Felipe has reunited her with the two American-born children she had not seen in...

In Thursday's corporations and securities law news, a federal judge ruling in the Qwest investor lawsuit threw out claims against former Qwest president Afshin Mohebbi, former sales executive Gregory Casey, and some claims against the company. The claims arose...

Updating an earlier report in JURIST's Paper Chase, the Ukrainian Supreme Court adjourned Thursday without ruling on the opposition's election fraud case, as had previously been anticipated. The court did, however, begin hearing final arguments in the appeal, and...

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) has filed Freedom of Information Act requests with the FBI seeking information on why the agency task forces set up to combat terrorism also looked into animal rights, environmental, and anti-war groups. The...

The SEC said Thursday that it had filed charges against three former Kmart executives and various other executives of Kmart vendors alleging that these individuals helped Kmart in issuing materially false financial statements by improperly accounting for millions of...

Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo announced Thursday that the Inter-American Court of Human Rights has upheld the conviction of Lori Berenson, an American woman who was imprisoned in Peru for terrorist collaboration with Marxist guerrillas. The court, which is affiliated...

Microsoft announced Thursday that it has filed seven lawsuits against senders of bulk e-mail for violating the federal Can-Spam Act . Microsoft alleges that the defendants violated the law's "brown paper wrapper" requirement by failing to label sexually explicit...

A Chilean court Thursday stripped former military ruler Augusto Pinochet (profile from BBC News) of his immunity, allowing an investigation into Pinochet's role in the killing of Gen. Carlos Prats to proceed. Thursday's decision is the second case where...