Public Interest

Top state court judge leaves bench to lead legal services think tank

Following 14 years on the Arizona Supreme Court, Chief Justice Scott Bales will be stepping down at the end of July. In September, he will take over leadership of the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, an independent research center located at the University of Denver.

Apr 9, 2019 6:30 AM CDT

A ‘budding bromance’? These 2 justices mostly agree in SCOTUS decisions so far

The U.S. Supreme Court’s newest justice, Brett M. Kavanaugh, has sided with Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. in all but one of 25 official decisions. USA Today notes the justices’ agreement and says the “budding bromance” has stalled the anticipated conservative takeover of the court. Roberts has been the…

Apr 8, 2019 2:20 PM CDT

ABA says decision of revoked war crimes prosecutor’s visa should be reversed; no US honeymoon for this lawyer

Updated: The United States has revoked the visa of the chief prosecutor to the International Criminal Court because she has requested an investigation into war crimes in Afghanistan that could examine U.S. abuse in detention centers overseas. The office of chief prosecutor Fatou Bensouda confirmed Friday that her visa had…

Apr 8, 2019 12:09 PM CDT

DC Circuit bars release of grand jury materials to author; are there implications for Mueller report?

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled Friday that judges don’t have inherent authority to order the release of grand jury information that is protected by secrecy rules.

Apr 8, 2019 11:23 AM CDT

House sues to block Trump’s use of funds for border wall

The House of Representatives filed a lawsuit Friday contending that President Donald Trump usurped its legislative authority when he used an emergency declaration to appropriate funds for a border wall.

Apr 8, 2019 9:15 AM CDT

6th Circuit dissenter warns of ‘tyranny;’ majority upholds abortion ultrasound law

A divided federal appeals court has upheld a Kentucky law requiring doctors who perform abortions to perform ultrasounds that include audio of the heartbeat.

Apr 5, 2019 11:25 AM CDT

Full 9th Circuit won’t review decision barring prosecution of homeless for sleeping on public property

A federal appeals court has left undisturbed a decision holding that homeless people can’t be prosecuted for sleeping on public property unless alternative shelter is available.

Apr 5, 2019 9:18 AM CDT

Alabama men’s prisons are so unsafe they likely violate the Eighth Amendment, DOJ says

Understaffed and overcrowded men’s prisons in Alabama fail to protect prisoners from prisoner-on-prisoner sexual abuse and violence and fail to provide safe and sanitary conditions, according to a Department of Justice report. There is reasonable cause to think the conditions in men’s prisons in the state violate the Eighth Amendment…

Apr 4, 2019 9:27 AM CDT

Legal intern raises over $41K to help homeless couple who are ‘no longer invisible’

A homeless couple who lived in a tent in Washington, D.C., may soon have an apartment to call home, thanks to the efforts of a legal intern and the people who donated more than $41,000 to a GoFundMe campaign. In a March 22 article, the Washington Post had described how…

Apr 4, 2019 7:30 AM CDT

Decision striking down part of sex offender law is ‘the talk of the prison,’ lawyer says

A federal judge in Chicago has found that it is unconstitutional for Illinois to hold sex offenders in prison after their release date when they are so impoverished that they can’t find a place to live that complies with state requirements. U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall ruled Sunday, WBEZ reports.…

Apr 3, 2019 12:41 PM CDT

Check out 9 historic SCOTUS rulings that set the stage for future First Amendment cases (gallery)

This year marks the anniversary of numerous influential U.S. Supreme Court decisions. On March 3, it was 100 years since the court established the “clear and present danger” test for protected speech. In February, we celebrated the 50th anniversary of Tinker v. Des Moines Independent Community School District. Thirty years…

Apr 3, 2019 10:10 AM CDT

Equality Act would afford federal protections to LGBTQ+ individuals, ABA president says

ABA President Bob Carlson sent a letter to the House Judiciary Committee Tuesday, urging members to support the Equality Act of 2019, which would prohibit discrimination on the basis of sex, gender identity and sexual orientation. In the letter, Carlson explained that the legislation would include LGBTQ+ individuals in the…

Apr 2, 2019 4:04 PM CDT

Supreme Court to decide whether registration check justified traffic stop

The U.S. Supreme Court agreed Monday to decide whether an officer had reasonable suspicion to pull over the driver of a truck after a registration check showed that the vehicle’s owner had a revoked driver’s license. The Kansas Supreme Court had found that the stop violated the Fourth Amendment rights…

Apr 2, 2019 11:10 AM CDT

DC Circuit refuses to block ban on bump stocks; SCOTUS also had refused to intervene

Gun rights groups are losing their battles to stop a ban on bump stocks from taking effect. Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to intervene in two cases last week, one from Michigan and the other from Washington, D.C., the New York Times had…

Apr 2, 2019 9:25 AM CDT

ABA strongly opposes DHS request to detain families longer and deport minors without a hearing

The Department of Homeland Security asked Congress last week for the right to imprison immigrant families for longer than the law currently permits, as well as the right to deport non-Mexican immigrant minors without due process of law. On Monday, ABA President Robert Carlson strongly opposed that request.

Apr 1, 2019 4:45 PM CDT