Democratic U.S. President Joe Biden secured his 235th federal judicial appointment on Friday, surpassing Donald Trump’s first-term tally of 234 by a narrow margin. Biden’s appointments emphasize diversity, with a record number of women and people of color filling these lifetime positions. Biden Reshapes Federal Judiciary The Democratic-led U.S. Senate confirmed two California-based judges on…
National law student diversity remained stable this year, but enrollment of Black and Hispanic first-year students at the nation’s most prestigious law schools declined sharply, with Black enrollment falling 8% and Hispanic enrollment dropping 9%. Experts warn this could mark the beginning of a “cascade effect” caused by the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2023 decision to…
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has approved California’s request to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. This decision, announced on Wednesday, grants the state a waiver under the Clean Air Act for its Advanced Clean Cars II Rule and Advanced Clean Fleets Regulation. Legal Basis for the Waiver California’s request hinged…
The Illinois Supreme Court has authorized the use of artificial intelligence (AI) tools by judges, attorneys, clerks, and other court officials under specific conditions. The new policy, announced Wednesday and effective Jan. 1, emphasizes that AI usage must comply with existing legal and ethical standards while promoting innovation and efficiency in the judiciary. “This policy…
A U.S. federal judicial panel has taken a decisive step toward restructuring public defender programs by endorsing greater organizational independence within the federal judiciary. This move would empower lawyers representing indigent defendants with enhanced control over budgets, staffing, and policies. The proposal emerged in a report released Wednesday, summarizing discussions held during the U.S. Judicial…
A Georgia appellate court has ruled to disqualify Fulton County District Attorney Fani Willis from prosecuting former President Donald Trump and his co-defendants in the case related to their efforts to overturn the 2020 election results. The decision marks a significant development in the legal proceedings surrounding Trump’s alleged election interference and may undermine efforts…
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit accusing pharmacy chain CVS of fueling the opioid epidemic by filling illegal prescriptions and billing federal health insurance programs. The complaint, unsealed on Wednesday in a Rhode Island federal court, outlines allegations spanning from October 2013 to the present. Allegations of Negligence and Profit-Driven Practices…
In a bid to enhance safety at the homes of the nine U.S. Supreme Court justices, Congress allocated more than $25 million as part of a temporary funding measure. This stopgap legislation, designed to prevent a partial government shutdown, also ensures federal agencies remain operational through March 14, 2025. Lawmakers Scramble to Prevent Government Shutdown…
TikTok has filed an emergency petition with the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking to block the enforcement of a federal law that could compel the platform to shut down in the United States by Jan. 19, 2025. The petition challenges the constitutionality of the Protecting Americans from Foreign Adversary Controlled Applications Act, signed into law in…
Senior U.S. District Judge Michael Ponsor faced a judicial misconduct ruling after publishing an essay in The New York Times criticizing Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito. In the May 24, 2024, essay, Ponsor condemned Alito for allowing provocative flags, including an upside-down American flag, to be displayed outside his homes. The flags resembled those used…
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