State Government

Mississippi Senate paid Black lawyer ‘significantly less’ than white colleagues, DOJ suit alleges

A U.S. Department of Justice lawsuit has accused the Mississippi Senate of paying a Black staff lawyer about half the salary of her white colleagues.

Nov 11, 2024 1:57 PM CST

Utah considers allowing law grads to choose apprenticeship rather than bar exam

The Utah Supreme Court is seeking comment on a proposal to allow law grads to become lawyers without taking the bar exam.

Nov 7, 2024 1:21 PM CST

Lawyer suspended after arguing cocaine enhanced his cognition

A former public defender accused of representing a client at a November 2022 preliminary hearing while under the influence of cocaine has received a suspension of a year and a day.

Nov 7, 2024 11:55 AM CST

Judge denies Missouri’s effort to block federal election monitors

A federal judge late Monday rejected an effort by Missouri’s Republican leaders to ban Justice Department election monitors from entering polling sites in St. Louis County on Election Day. In a separate case, the DOJ reached an agreement that restricts monitors from coming any closer than 100 feet from voting locations in Texas, which had sued to block the monitors. The developments came as federal authorities sought to bolster efforts to monitor Tuesday’s elections amid growing fears of improper partisan influence and voter suppression.

Nov 5, 2024 12:26 PM CST

Top Georgia court blocks extended deadline for county voters who received late-mailed ballots

The Georgia Supreme Court on Monday blocked Cobb County, Georgia, election officials from counting a block of absentee ballots if they are received after 7 p.m. on Election Day.

Nov 5, 2024 12:25 PM CST

Lawyer’s mistaken Zelle transfer leads to ethics complaint

An Ohio lawyer mistakenly sent $550 via money transfer app Zelle to an Illinois resident, peppered him with emails and texts while a bank fraud department investigated, and then sued him after the money was returned, according to an ethics complaint by the Dayton Bar Association.

Nov 5, 2024 9:30 AM CST

DOJ will send monitors to 86 counties for Election Day, the most in two decades

The Justice Department on Friday said it will send election monitors to 86 jurisdictions in 27 states on Tuesday, amid growing fears of improper partisan influence and voter suppression.

Nov 1, 2024 3:00 PM CDT

Jones Day gets involved in election litigation for RNC after declining to advise Trump campaign

Jones Day is no longer advising the Trump campaign, but the law firm is staying involved in election litigation.

Oct 31, 2024 9:15 AM CDT

Colorado Supreme Court considers whether habeas petition can free zoo elephants

The Colorado Supreme Court considered last week whether five wild-born zoo elephants should be considered "persons" entitled to seek liberty through a habeas corpus petition.

Oct 30, 2024 2:09 PM CDT

Judge is accused of using racial slur, vulgar terms and ‘libtard’ label for employee offended by his comments

An Ohio judge is facing an ethics complaint alleging that he created an inappropriate office environment, used a racial slur within earshot of a defendant, and referred to a child-rape case in “lewd and vulgar” terms.

Oct 30, 2024 11:42 AM CDT

Supreme Court allows Virginia effort to strike possible noncitizen voters

A divided Supreme Court cleared the way Wednesday for Virginia officials to remove about 1,600 voters from the state’s registration rolls less than one week before the presidential election.

Oct 30, 2024 10:40 AM CDT

Judge who allowed secretary to work remotely didn’t violate ethics rules, state supreme court says

The New Jersey Supreme Court has tossed a pending ethics complaint against a judge who sometimes allowed his secretary to work remotely in violation of office policy.

Oct 29, 2024 8:45 AM CDT

4th Circuit strikes down effort to purge suspected noncitizen voters

A federal appeals court on Sunday upheld the ruling of a Virginia judge who struck down an effort from state officials to automatically cancel voter registrations of suspected noncitizens, pointing to a federal law that prohibits states from purging voters 90 days before a presidential election.

Oct 28, 2024 3:15 PM CDT

2nd Circuit sticks to its guns on constitutionality of concealed-carry law after SCOTUS remand

New York residents can’t carry handguns in sensitive locations and must show evidence of good moral character when applying for a concealed-carry license.

Oct 28, 2024 2:07 PM CDT

5th Circuit rules ballots that arrive late shouldn’t be counted despite postmarks

A federal appeals court Friday ruled invalid a Mississippi law that allows election officials to count mail ballots that arrive after Election Day as long as they are postmarked by then.

Oct 28, 2024 12:45 PM CDT