US Sen. Arlen Specter , chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee , asked President Bush Wednesday to delay nominating a replacement for retiring Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor . Specter's announcement came after leading senators met with President Bush to suggest possible nominations . Specter said he spoke with O'Connor, who is willing to [...]

Attorneys for some Guantanamo Bay detainees asked for access to their clients' medical records Wednesday as they worried that the detainees' eight-week-long hunger strike may be severely harming their clients' health. Lawyers for a group of 17 Yemeni detainees complained that their clients looked ill and many of their conditions were deteriorating. The detainees are [...]

In trial proceedings in Uzbekistan, Muidin Sobirov confessed Wednesday to his role as a key planner of the bloody demonstrations in the Uzbekistan city of Andijan in May . Sobirov is among the 15 men charged with being Muslim extremists and trying to overthrow the Uzbek government. The 15 defendants have pleaded guilty to all [...]

Sen. Patrick Leahy , ranking Democrat on the US Senate Judiciary Committee, said Wednesday that he will support the confirmation of John Roberts as Chief Justice of the United States. 11:34 AM ET – In his statement to the Senate , Leahy expressed disappointment with the administration for failing to properly consult the Senate on [...]

In Wednesday's environmental law news, the European Commission will introduce a package of measures aimed at improving air quality. In July, the Commission shelved its initial air quality plans, which were criticized as being too costly. The plans have been amended, and are expected to be less expensive to implement. Reuters has more. In other [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has granted a stay of US District Court Judge Janet Hall's decision to lift the gag order imposed on plaintiffs suing the government over an FBI order issued under the Patriot Act. The ruling, issued late Tuesday, will prevent the unidentified library plaintiffs represented by the [...]

The Australian government said Wednesday it was pleased with the US decision to resume military commission proceedings against Australian Guantanamo detainee David Hicks in light of a US federal appeals court ruling in Hamdan v. Rumsfeld . In a radio interview, Australian Attorney General Philip Ruddock said it was appropriate that the trial should proceed [...]

Iraqi ex-president Saddam Hussein will not be allowed to represent himself at trial, according to new procedural rules adopted by the National Assembly . Under the new rules adopted late last month, the rights of all defendants appearing before the Iraqi Special Tribunal were altered, allowing defendants only to "procure legal counsel of ." Under [...]

Susette Kelo, whose case led to the June US Supreme Court ruling in Kelo v. New London , where the court held local governments can take homes for private development, urged the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday to end government involvement in these seizures and protect people's homes. The panel is considering proposals to bar federal [...]

The European Court of First Instance Wednesday ruled that the European Union can freeze the assets of suspected terrorists under its treaty powers . The court dismissed complaints from alleged al Qaeda associates, Yassin Abdullah Kadi, Ahmed Ali Yusuf, and the Al Barakaat International Foundation, who had their bank accounts blocked by the EU. The [...]