Recent Updates

  • Court: Constitutional ban on high fines applies to states

    Court: Constitutional ban on high fines applies to states

    Supreme Court News 02/22/2019

    The Supreme Court ruled unanimously Wednesday that the Constitution's ban on excessive fines applies to the states, an outcome that could help efforts to rein in police seizure of property from criminal suspects.Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg wrote the ...

  • Wisconsin court: Judge's Facebook friendship could show bias

    Wisconsin court: Judge's Facebook friendship could show bias

    Law Journals 02/16/2019

    A Wisconsin judge's decision to become Facebook friends with a woman whose child custody case he was hearing created at least the appearance of bias, a state appeals court ruled Wednesday in ordering the case to be re-heard by another judge.The case,...

  • Ex-West Virginia Supreme Court justice set for sentencing

    Ex-West Virginia Supreme Court justice set for sentencing

    Featured Legal News 02/13/2019

    A former West Virginia Supreme Court justice who had a $32,000 blue suede couch in his office and was at the center of an impeachment scandal is due in federal court for sentencing for using his job for his own benefit.Allen Loughry is scheduled to b...

  • State high court to weigh appeal based on impulsivity issue

    State high court to weigh appeal based on impulsivity issue

    Featured Legal News 02/08/2019

    The Arizona Supreme Court will consider if judges can allow evidence on whether defendants have brain damage making it more than likely a crime was committed impulsively rather than with premeditation.The court agreed Tuesday to consider the appeal o...

  • Supreme Court blocks Louisiana abortion clinic law

    Supreme Court blocks Louisiana abortion clinic law

    Featured Legal News 02/08/2019

    A divided Supreme Court stopped Louisiana from enforcing new regulations on abortion clinics in a test of the conservative court's views on abortion rights.The justices said by a 5-4 vote late Thursday that they will not allow the state to put into e...

  • Former Sen. Barringer to run for North Carolina high court

    Former Sen. Barringer to run for North Carolina high court

    Law Journals 02/05/2019

    Candidates for the North Carolina Supreme Court continue to grow with two or three seats on the ballot next year due to Chief Justice Mark Martin's impending resignation.Former state Sen. Tamara Barringer of Cary told supporters Tuesday she would see...

  • Congo court poised to rule on presidential vote challenge

    Congo court poised to rule on presidential vote challenge

    Law Journals 01/21/2019

    Congo's constitutional court is poised to rule on a challenge to the presidential election, with the government on Friday dismissing an unprecedented request by the African Union continental body to delay releasing the final results because of "serio...

  • Family's fight for liquor license leads to Supreme Court

    Family's fight for liquor license leads to Supreme Court

    Law Journals 01/15/2019

    Doug and Mary Ketchum chose Memphis, Tennessee, as a place to live with their disabled adult daughter because it has clearer air than their former home in Utah.That was the easy part. Their decision to support themselves by buying a liquor store has ...

  • Supreme Court sides with Ohio over death row inmate

    Supreme Court sides with Ohio over death row inmate

    Featured Legal News 01/07/2019

    The Supreme Court is ordering a federal appeals court to re-examine the case of a convicted killer in Ohio whose death sentence was thrown out after he was found to be mentally disabled.In an unsigned opinion Monday, the justices said that the federa...

  • Court orders mediation in Maryland desegregation case

    Court orders mediation in Maryland desegregation case

    Supreme Court News 01/05/2019

    A federal appeals court has ordered a fourth attempt at mediation in a long-running dispute over the state of Maryland’s treatment of its historically black colleges.The black colleges say the state has underfunded them while developing program...

  • Chief justice details efforts to combat workplace misconduct

    Chief justice details efforts to combat workplace misconduct

    Featured Legal News 01/01/2019

    Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts is using his annual report on the federal judiciary to highlight the steps the branch has taken to combat inappropriate conduct in the workplace.In December 2017, Roberts asked that a working group be put toge...

  • Mississippi chief justice: Time for another to lead court

    Mississippi chief justice: Time for another to lead court

    Law Journals 12/26/2018

    After 21 years on the Mississippi Supreme Court and 10 years as chief justice, Bill Waller Jr. says it's time for someone else to take the helm.Waller's court has at times questioned problems with forensic evidence, but passed when asked to rule on t...