6th Circuit Court

In rare move, full 6th Circuit will hear initial arguments in abortion case; dissent blasts ‘procedural hopscotch’

In an unusual move, the full 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Cincinnati will consider the constitutionality of a Tennessee abortion law without an initial ruling by a three-judge panel.

Apr 13, 2021 1:33 PM CDT

Evidence of jury racial bias in civil trial requires hearing, 6th Circuit says, citing ‘crackhead’ assumption

A federal trial court must hold a hearing to examine potential jury bias after one woman said jurors considered the Black plaintiff to be "a crackhead" and referred to his lawyers as the "Cosby Show," a federal appeals court has ruled.

Apr 7, 2021 2:01 PM CDT

Prof who refused to use transgender student’s preferred pronouns can pursue suit, 6th Circuit rules

The Cincinnati-based 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has reinstated a First Amendment lawsuit by a public college professor in Ohio who violated school policy by refusing to use a transgender student’s preferred pronouns.

Mar 31, 2021 12:00 PM CDT

Supreme Court will decide whether Kentucky AG can pick up defense of invalidated abortion law

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide whether Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron can intervene to defend an invalidated state abortion law after no other state official would continue to defend it.

Mar 30, 2021 11:10 AM CDT

Supreme Court reinstates murder conviction, says 6th Circuit ignored ‘ample evidence’

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday reinstated the murder conviction of a Tennessee death-row inmate accused of killing a motel maid, ruling that a federal appeals court had relied on a “fanciful theory” to grant him a new trial.

Mar 29, 2021 12:36 PM CDT

7th Circuit creates clear split on viability of balancing test used to evaluate abortion restrictions

The 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at Chicago has ruled that a balancing test should still be used to evaluate abortion restrictions, creating a clear circuit split on the issue.

Mar 16, 2021 10:42 AM CDT

6th Circuit judges trade barbs over references to Marshall Project, Grateful Dead in compassionate release request

Appeals judges ruling on a federal prisoner’s compassionate release request agreed that it should be denied but disagreed over sourcing in a dispute played out in a concurring opinion and a footnote.

Mar 9, 2021 11:56 AM CST

Prisoner who filed pro se appeal of his enhanced sentence wins Supreme Court review

An inmate convicted for breaking into 10 storage lockers has persuaded the U.S. Supreme Court to review his mandatory minimum sentence under the Armed Career Criminal Act.

Feb 23, 2021 9:01 AM CST

Afternoon Briefs: California defends bar exam facial-recognition tech; pants-on-fire lawyer arrested

California bar responds to disparate impact allegation regarding facial recognition technology

After receiving a Feb. 10 demand letter to remove facial recognition technology from the remote bar exam on…

Feb 17, 2021 4:45 PM CST

Judge’s threat to add lawyer to pro bono list could be seen as punitive, 6th Circuit says

A federal appeals court has concluded that a federal judge’s comments about a lawyer for a bias plaintiff were "within the bounds of what imperfect men and women, even after having been confirmed as federal judges, sometimes display."

Nov 24, 2020 3:12 PM CST

Federal judge rules students have no right to civics education while warning of peril to democracy

A Rhode Island federal judge has ruled students in the state have no constitutional right to a civics education, even as he warned of a “deep flaw” in education priorities. Judge William Smith said they seem to recognize “American democracy is in peril.”

Oct 23, 2020 10:13 AM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Antitrust suit filed against Google; pro se litigant accused of judge death threat

DOJ files antitrust suit against Google

The U.S. Department of Justice filed a civil antitrust lawsuit against Google on Tuesday that alleges that the tech company maintains a monopoly in…

Oct 20, 2020 4:23 PM CDT

Meet Joan Larsen, a former Democratic volunteer, who is another potential SCOTUS nominee

U.S. Circuit Judge Joan Larsen, a conservative judge on President Donald Trump’s short list of possible U.S.…

Sep 24, 2020 11:28 AM CDT

Trump plans to nominate a woman to replace Ginsburg; who are the top contenders?

President Donald Trump told Fox & Friends on Monday that he hopes to name a successor to U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg this upcoming Friday or Saturday. Ginsburg died this past Friday at age 87 from complications from metastatic cancer of the pancreas.

Sep 21, 2020 10:46 AM CDT

Judge kicked off case after bashing 6th Circuit’s computer sophistication, refusing to budge on sentence

A federal judge in Memphis, Tennessee, has been kicked off a child pornography case after criticizing the computer sophistication of appellate judges and refusing to change the light sentence that she imposed.

Sep 15, 2020 3:02 PM CDT