Civil Rights

May 8, 1867: Trolley segregation ends in New Orleans

Since their inaugural service in the 1830s, streetcars were a source of both convenience and resentment for the Black citizens of New Orleans. With their access limited by local “Black codes” only to “star cars”—segregated trolleys emblazoned with a black star—even free Black workers, housewives and shoppers found a daily reminder that their freedom bore scant resemblance to that of whites.

Apr 1, 2024 12:05 AM CDT

DeSantis tourism board, Disney reach settlement to end legal feud

The board appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis to oversee Disney’s former special taxing district agreed Wednesday to a settlement with the entertainment giant, capping a legal feud over who should control development at the sprawling theme park complex.

Mar 28, 2024 2:00 PM CDT

U.S. appeals court keeps block on Texas immigration law

A new Texas law that empowers state officials to detain and deport migrants will remain on hold, after a divided appeals court ruling late Tuesday that said the statutes “significantly impair the exercise of discretion by federal immigration officials.”

Mar 27, 2024 12:15 PM CDT

Lewis Brisbois accused of failing to recognize ‘draconian lending terms,’ conspiring to cover up mistakes

A lawsuit accuses Lewis Brisbois Bisgaard & Smith of conspiring to deflect blame for its failure to protect 185 Chinese investors who lost $92.5 million that they invested in a hotel and condominium project through an investment group called CMB Export.

Mar 26, 2024 1:08 PM CDT

Judiciary ‘has no power to unimpeach,’ federal judge says while citing Dr. Seuss

A federal judge has tossed former Democratic Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich’s pro se lawsuit seeking the right to run for political office, despite his impeachment and conviction, saying the complaint is “riddled with problems” and is an “Issue-Spotting Wonderland.”

Mar 26, 2024 8:57 AM CDT

Lawyers representing transgender plaintiffs face possible sanctions for alleged ‘judge shopping’

A federal judge in Alabama has directed 11 lawyers to show cause why they shouldn’t be sanctioned for alleged "judge shopping" in lawsuits challenging a ban on some gender-affirming medical procedures for transgender minors in the state.

Mar 25, 2024 12:45 PM CDT

Law student’s suit alleges Chicago Bears didn’t hire him as ‘legal diversity fellow’ because he is white man

A first-year student at the DePaul University College of Law in Chicago claims in a lawsuit that the Chicago Bears football team refused to consider him for a “legal diversity fellow” position because he is a white man.

Mar 25, 2024 10:05 AM CDT

Texas officials ask appeals court to allow state immigration crackdown

Texas officials on Wednesday urged a U.S. appeals court to unblock a new law that would allow authorities to arrest and deport migrants, saying the state has been forced to take extraordinary measures to try to stop soaring levels of illegal border crossings.

Mar 21, 2024 10:45 AM CDT

Supreme Court revisits abortion debate in case over access to pregnancy-ending drug

Next week, a case about federal regulation of the primary drug used in medication abortions will be taken up by the justices, returning a major issue in the abortion debate to them perhaps sooner than they would have wished.

Mar 21, 2024 10:34 AM CDT

Appeals court again blocks Texas from arresting and deporting migrants

A federal appeals court has again blocked a law that makes it a state crime for migrants to illegally cross the border into Texas, hours after the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority allowed the law to take effect while challenges to it continue through the court system.

Mar 20, 2024 9:50 AM CDT

Supreme Court clears way for Texas to enforce immigration law for now

The Supreme Court on Tuesday cleared the way for Texas to immediately begin enforcing one of the nation’s harshest immigration laws, which opponents say would disrupt more than a century of federal control over international borders.

Mar 19, 2024 1:50 PM CDT

Lawyer disbarred for filing immigration docs during suspension

A Florida lawyer has been disbarred for continuing to represent immigration clients while he was suspended for his behavior when he was working as a public defender in the Jacksonville area.

Mar 18, 2024 4:48 PM CDT

Drag show ban at Texas university left intact by Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court refused to let a student group host a charity drag show at a public university in Texas, siding with a school official who banned the performance as “derisive, divisive and demoralizing.”

Mar 15, 2024 3:15 PM CDT

Settlement in Florida ‘don’t say gay’ lawsuit says it’s okay to say gay

A lawsuit settlement over Florida’s “don’t say gay” statute announced Monday affirms that teachers and students can discuss LGBTQ issues and have access to related library books, largely canceling many of the impacts of the signature legislation from Gov. Ron DeSantis (R).

Mar 12, 2024 8:45 AM CDT

Themis legal practice group represents female clients and their allies

Two Chicago lawyers have created a practice group with a female focus.

Mar 11, 2024 1:54 PM CDT