Staff Writer

  • Hawaii Agrees To ‘Groundbreaking’ Settlement Of Youth Climate Change Case

    Hawaii agreed on Thursday to decarbonize its transportation system by 2045, settling a lawsuit by 13 young people who claimed the state violated their constitutional rights with infrastructure that contributes to greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. Democratic Governor Josh Green announced the “groundbreaking” settlement at a news conference attended by activists and lawyers involved…

  • Justice Thomas Casts Cloud Over Lawsuits Challenging Diversity Programs

    Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas has adopted a legal theory that would eliminate numerous recent lawsuits filed by groups opposing race-based diversity programs, which align with his conservative views. In a concurring opinion in last week’s Supreme Court decision preserving access to the abortion pill mifepristone, Thomas questioned the constitutional foundation of a legal doctrine…

  • Families Of Boeing 737 MAX Crash Victims Ask US To Seek $24 Billion Fine

    Relatives of the victims of two fatal Boeing 737 MAX crashes urged the Justice Department on Wednesday to impose a fine of up to $24.78 billion on the planemaker and pursue a criminal prosecution. Paul Cassel, a lawyer representing 15 families, wrote in a letter to the Justice Department that “because Boeing’s crime is the…

  • Supreme Court Will Review Test For Applying Wage Law Exemptions

    The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to decide how difficult it should be for employers to prove in court that their workers qualify for exemptions from overtime pay and other legal protections under U.S. wage laws. The justices granted a petition by grocery distributor EMD Sales Inc to review a 4th U.S. Circuit Court of…

  • Louisiana Requires Display Of Ten Commandments In All Classrooms

    Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry signed a bill on Wednesday that mandates displaying the Ten Commandments in every public school classroom, making Louisiana the only state with such a requirement. The American Civil Liberties Union immediately announced plans to sue to block the law, citing violations of the constitutional separation of church and state and a…

  • New Evidence Baldwin Was Reckless With Gun Before ‘Rust’ Shooting, Prosecutors Say

    New evidence indicates Alec Baldwin acted recklessly with a revolver before it fired a live round that killed “Rust” cinematographer Halyna Hutchins in 2021, according to prosecutors preparing for Baldwin’s July manslaughter trial. Prosecutors, in a Monday filing, alleged that images and videos from crew and a set photographer show Baldwin pointing his gun at…

  • Child Privacy Complaint Against TikTok Referred To Justice Dept

    The U.S. Federal Trade Commission said on Tuesday it referred a complaint against the social media platform TikTok and its parent company ByteDance to the Justice Department over potential violations of children’s privacy. In March, a source told Reuters the FTC could resolve a probe into TikTok over allegedly faulty privacy and data security practices…

  • Law Schools Boost AI Offerings As Industry Booms

    A growing number of law schools are adding courses and degree programs in artificial intelligence to meet employer demand and capitalize on the flourishing AI industry. More than half of law schools now offer classes on AI, according to a recent American Bar Association survey, with the number of these courses accelerating since ChatGPT’s debut…

  • Iowa Immigration Law Blocked In Biden Administration Lawsuit

    An Iowa federal judge has temporarily blocked the Republican-led state’s law that allows the arrest and prosecution of people who are in the U.S. illegally. This decision marks a win for the Biden administration. U.S. District Judge Stephen Locher in Des Moines, Iowa, stated in a written decision late Monday that the law, which was…

  • DOJ Won’t Pursue Contempt Charges Against AG Merrick Garland

    The U.S. Justice Department informed Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson on Friday that it would not pursue criminal contempt of Congress charges against Attorney General Merrick Garland, according to a letter. This decision followed the Republican-controlled House’s party-line vote to hold Garland in contempt for refusing to turn over audio recordings of a special counsel…