U.S. Supreme Court

Supreme Court temporarily blocks $6B opioid settlement, agrees to consider Sackler family shield

The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday agreed to consider the propriety of a bankruptcy plan for OxyContin maker Purdue Pharma that shielded the company’s current owners from future civil liability in exchange for a $6 billion payout.

Aug 10, 2023 4:23 PM CDT

Justice Thomas had more than one billionaire benefactor; friends lavished him with 38 vacations

Prior reporting on free luxury travel accepted by U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas doesn’t capture the extent of his billionaire friends’ largesse.

Aug 10, 2023 12:09 PM CDT

Federal judge considers ‘burning’ legal question—does ‘attorney fee’ need apostrophe and ‘s’?

U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew M. Edison of the Southern District of Texas uses a footnote to address “one of the burning legal questions of our generation.” Is the proper term “attorney fees,” “attorneys fees,” “attorney’s fees” or “attorneys’ fees”?

Aug 9, 2023 3:54 PM CDT

Supreme Court majority reinstates regulations requiring background checks for sales of ‘ghost gun’ kits

The U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday temporarily revived Biden administration regulations that require makers and sellers of "ghost gun" kits and parts to add serial numbers to the products, keep transfer records and conduct background checks of buyers.

Aug 9, 2023 8:40 AM CDT

Ban on lifetime voting for some felons violates Eighth Amendment, 5th Circuit rules

Mississippi’s lifetime ban on voting for felons convicted of some crimes serves no legitimate penological purpose and violates their rights under the Eighth Amendment, a federal appeals court has ruled.

Aug 8, 2023 8:08 AM CDT

Justice Thomas financed his ‘really bougie’ RV with a loan from a wealthy friend; did he pay it off?

U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas and his wife have told interviewers that they enjoy traveling across the United States in their recreational vehicle, where they interact with people who don’t recognize them and sometimes spend the night in Walmart parking lots.

Aug 8, 2023 8:06 AM CDT

ABA task force recommends ethics and transparency changes for Supreme Court

The U.S. Supreme Court should adopt and publish a code of conduct, according to recommendations released Friday by an ABA task force created to recommend steps to increase the public’s trust and understanding of the judiciary.

Aug 4, 2023 4:01 PM CDT

9th Circuit dissenters take aim at state-created danger doctrine

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals at San Francisco should narrow the state-created danger doctrine, according to four judges who dissented when the appeals court refused to grant an en banc rehearing in a lawsuit over a mother’s drowning of her 10-month-old twins.

Aug 3, 2023 10:30 AM CDT

ABA members convene in Denver for 2023 annual meeting

The 2023 ABA Annual Meeting runs from Wednesday, Aug. 2, through Tuesday, Aug. 8, at the Colorado Convention Center.

Aug 2, 2023 8:08 AM CDT

Chemerinsky: Supreme Court rulings on labor and employment law leave many unanswered questions

Although they did not receive the headlines of the most high-profile decisions of the October Term 2022, the U.S. Supreme Court decided two important cases concerning the law of the workplace. One involved the duty of employers to accommodate employees’ religious beliefs and practices. The other concerned when a union can be held liable for the economic consequences of a strike. Each is likely to engender a great deal of litigation.

Aug 1, 2023 3:00 PM CDT

Is dismissal bid effort to keep ADA ‘gravy train’ running? Tester urges SCOTUS to drop her case

A Florida woman who tests hotel websites for compliance with the Americans With Disabilities Act is seeking to dismiss all of her pending cases, including one pending before the U.S. Supreme Court.

Aug 1, 2023 2:45 PM CDT

Can Congress bind Supreme Court on ethics code? Alito offers opinion

Justice Samuel Alito doesn't think that Congress has the authority to bind the U.S. Supreme Court on ethics issues.

Jul 31, 2023 9:42 AM CDT

No summer break for Supreme Court ethics debate

The drumbeat of news about U.S. Supreme Court ethics has not taken a summer recess, even though the justices themselves have.

Jul 27, 2023 12:20 PM CDT

Biden administration will appeal decision blocking its tough asylum policy

The Biden administration is appealing a federal judge’s decision blocking an immigration rule that presumes that noncitizens at the southern border are ineligible for U.S. asylum unless they have an appointment or qualify for other limited exceptions.

Jul 26, 2023 2:52 PM CDT

After civil rights group files complaint over Harvard legacy admissions, US opens probe

The U.S. Department of Education has opened a probe into Harvard University’s preferences for applicants with family ties to donors and alumni.

Jul 26, 2023 11:49 AM CDT