Tag: Judiciary

Supreme Court Affirms Right of Nursing Home Patient to Sue the State

Americans who depend on government programs like Medicaid and food stamps can sue to secure rights under laws that created those programs, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled on June 8. In a 7–2 decision, the high court upheld an appeals court ruling that green-lighted an Indiana man’s family to sue over his care at a…


‘Bad Spaniels’ Dog Toy Maker Loses Trademark Case Against Jack Daniel’s

The Supreme Court unanimously ruled on June 8 against a dog toy maker whose chew toy parodies a bottle of Jack Daniel’s whiskey that the Tennessee distiller had claimed violated its trademark. The case dealt with the intersection of the First Amendment and trademark protection laws and the extent to which one company may parody another’s…


Supreme Court Strikes Down Republican-Drawn Election Map for Alabama

The Supreme Court voted 5–4 on June 8 to strike down Alabama’s electoral map for congressional elections, ruling that it was racially discriminatory. The court narrowly found that the map drafted by Alabama Republicans violated the provisions of the federal Voting Rights Act (VRA) which requires that states not racially gerrymander districts. Most members of the…


Oklahoma Approves the First Religious Charter School in US, Prompting Threats of Litigation

An Oklahoma school board approved the nation’s first publicly funded religious charter school. The Oklahoma Statewide Virtual Charter School Board voted 3–2 on June 5 to approve an application by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Oklahoma City and the Diocese of Tulsa for a new online school, St. Isidore of Seville Catholic Virtual School. The fact…


Supreme Court Rejects Oil Industry Challenge to Reverse Offshore Fracking Ban in California

The U.S. Supreme Court sided with environmentalists and rejected a challenge by the oil industry to reverse an offshore fracking ban in California on June 5. The Environmental Defense Center filed its original lawsuit in 2014 to stop offshore fracking in federal waters, arguing the fracking chemicals could cause environmental issues and kill marine life….


Former Justice Department Official Says Russiagate Reports Cover Up DOJ Crimes

Jeffrey Clark had a front-row seat to the “Get Trump” plot. As assistant attorney general in William Barr’s Justice Department, he had hopes the department’s investigations of its own bad actions would hold the conspirators to account. But instead of exposing the full extent of federal law enforcement’s corrupt activities, all they offered was what…


[PREMIERING NOW] Former Justice Department Official Says Russiagate Reports Cover Up DOJ Crimes

Jeffrey Clark had a front-row seat to the “Get Trump” plot. As assistant attorney general in William Barr’s Justice Department, he had hopes the department’s investigations of its own bad actions would hold the conspirators to account. But instead of exposing the full extent of federal law enforcement’s corrupt activities, all they offered was what…


Supreme Court Leaves Social Media Liability Shield Untouched

The Supreme Court crackdown on social media platforms’ liability shield for user content that many observers expected in a pair of recent high-profile cases never came. Much to the relief of Silicon Valley, the Supreme Court sidestepped the issue in its much anticipated May 18 rulings in Twitter Inc. v. Taamneh and Gonzalez v. Google…


PREMIERING at 11AM ET: Former Justice Department Official Says Russiagate Reports Cover Up DOJ Crimes

Jeffrey Clark had a front-row seat to the “Get Trump” plot. As assistant attorney general in William Barr’s Justice Department, he had hopes the department’s investigations of its own bad actions would hold the conspirators to account. But instead of exposing the full extent of federal law enforcement’s corrupt activities, all they offered was what…


Federal Judge Allows Transgender Procedures for Minors Who Sued Florida Over Bans

A federal judge on Tuesday temporarily blocked a part of a new Florida law that bans transgender procedures for minors in Florida amid ongoing litigation. U.S. District Judge Robert L. Hinkle issued the preliminary injunction (pdf) after convening a bench trial. He said a recent Florida law and recent rules issued in the state that bans transgender…