Supreme Court rejects cases on qualified immunity used to shield police officers

The U.S. Supreme Court refused Monday to hear several cases challenging the doctrine of qualified immunity, which often shields police officers accused of misconduct.

Jun 16, 2020 10:30 AM CDT

Top state court vacates order shutting down defiant barber’s shop during COVID-19 crisis

The Michigan Supreme Court vacated on Friday an appeals court decision ordering the shutdown of a barber shop that remained open despite state stay-at-home orders amid the COVID-19 crisis.

Jun 8, 2020 12:29 PM CDT

Appeals court tosses convictions in wake of Supreme Court ruling on jury verdicts

The Louisiana 4th Circuit Court of Appeal has overturned two manslaughter and molestation convictions in response to a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling that nonunanimous jury verdicts are unconstitutional.

May 29, 2020 2:32 PM CDT

Lawyer contends ‘SILENCE. (BOOM SHAKALAKA)’ satisfies ethics rule; top state court disagrees

Lowell, Massachusetts, lawyer Ilya Liviz says he did respond to the bar counsel's request for information in a bar inquiry, and that response was adequate.

May 19, 2020 9:48 AM CDT

Fighting for compensation in a state that offers no relief to the wrongfully convicted

Apr 27, 2020 3:42 PM CDT

Closely watched gun-rights case tossed as moot by SCOTUS; Kavanaugh urges new cert grant

The U.S. Supreme Court won’t decide a closely watched case that could have been used to extend the right to have a gun to outside the home.

Apr 27, 2020 12:38 PM CDT

Afternoon Briefs: Stand-your-ground laws are questioned; lawyer will visit beaches as Grim Reaper

Stand-your-ground laws are associated with more homicides, report finds Evidence suggests that stand-your-ground laws are associated with increases in gun homicides, according to a review of scientific literature by the RAND Corp. As of January, more than two-thirds of states had stand-your-ground laws or had expanded the castle doctrine to…

Apr 24, 2020 3:09 PM CDT

NYU Law Review wins dismissal of suit challenging its racial and gender preferences

The New York University Law Review has won dismissal of a suit challenging preferences given to women and minorities in selection of members and choice of articles.

Apr 2, 2020 10:09 AM CDT

To increase access to justice, jurisdictions should consider rewriting regulations, ABA House says

Apr 1, 2020 12:40 AM CDT

Judge suggests lawyer who opposed extension may want to brush up on karma concepts

A federal magistrate judge in Miami is letting squabbling litigants know that their issues are less important than the COVID-19 pandemic.

Mar 27, 2020 12:15 PM CDT

Federal judge trims law firm’s suit that claims a rival firm hijacked website traffic

A federal judge in Chicago has trimmed some claims from an Illinois law firm’s suit that alleges that a rival hijacked its website traffic and copied some of its website content.

Mar 26, 2020 3:01 PM CDT

Judge slams emergency motion to halt knockoff unicorn art amid coronavirus pandemic

A federal judge in Chicago had no patience for a lawyer who sought a quick hearing on his client's bid for a temporary restraining order to halt the sale of knockoff unicorn art.

Mar 25, 2020 1:09 PM CDT

Supreme Court rules suits for contracting bias must show but-for causation, a tougher standard

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that lawsuits alleging discrimination in contracts under a Reconstruction-era law have to show but-for causation. The Supreme Court ruled unanimously in the case of Entertainment Studios Networks, owned by former reality TV host and comedian Byron Allen, who is black. Allen had claimed Comcast…

Mar 23, 2020 1:10 PM CDT

SCOTUS extends filing deadlines because of coronavirus outbreak

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday extended filing deadlines for cert petitions because of the COVID-19 outbreak.

Mar 20, 2020 10:23 AM CDT

Ethics and civil procedure are most important knowledge areas for new lawyers, survey says

A survey of nearly 15,000 lawyers sought to determine what knowledge, skills and abilities are needed by newly licensed attorneys.

Mar 12, 2020 12:04 PM CDT