accountability

  • California, Hawaii Can Ban Guns in Bars and Parks, Appeals Court Rules

    A federal appeals court ruled on Friday that California and Hawaii can enforce bans on carrying guns in certain public locations, including bars and parks, partially reversing lower court decisions that blocked the restrictions. A unanimous panel from the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals determined that both states can implement gun bans in bars,…

  • Judge Unlikely to Block NLRB Case Pending Challenge to Agency’s Powers

    On Friday, a federal judge in Chicago expressed skepticism about a medical center’s argument that National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) members and administrative judges are improperly shielded from removal by the president. Alivio Medical Center, a nonprofit serving Chicago’s Hispanic community, sought to halt an NLRB administrative case against it, claiming that the agency’s structure…

  • Court Extends Suspension of 97-Year-Old Federal Judge

    A federal appeals court extended the suspension of U.S. Circuit Judge Pauline Newman, the nation’s oldest active federal judge, for another year following concerns about her fitness to serve. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit’s Judicial Council unanimously agreed to extend the suspension, which started in September 2023, through September 2025. The…

  • Judge Runs ‘Mini-Experiment’ With AI to Help Decide Case

    A federal judge revealed that he turned to artificial intelligence programs, including ChatGPT, to help interpret a key legal term in a man’s appeal of an 11-year prison sentence. U.S. Circuit Judge Kevin Newsom, who initially felt “spooked” by slight differences in the AI-generated responses, ultimately believes the technology can serve as a “valuable” tool.…

  • TikTok Turns to Supreme Court Vets in Case Over Potential US Ban

    TikTok and a group of creators have enlisted two prominent U.S. Supreme Court lawyers to challenge a U.S. law that forces China-based ByteDance to divest TikTok’s U.S. assets or face a ban. Andrew Pincus from Mayer Brown will represent TikTok and ByteDance, while Jeffrey Fisher of Stanford Law School will advocate for content creators when…

  • Judge Temporarily Blocks New Biden Student Debt Relief Plan

    On Thursday, U.S. District Judge J. Randal Hall temporarily blocked President Joe Biden’s administration from moving forward with its latest student debt forgiveness plan. This ruling came just days after seven Republican-led states filed a lawsuit to stop the plan. Judge Hall, based in Augusta, Georgia, stated that the states demonstrated a strong likelihood of…

  • Hunter Biden Pleads Guilty in Federal Tax Case

    Hunter Biden, the son of U.S. President Joe Biden, surprised many by pleading guilty to federal tax charges on Thursday, just weeks before the U.S. presidential election. Originally, Biden was set to face trial in a Los Angeles federal courthouse on charges that he failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes while indulging in lavish…

  • Hunter Biden’s Tax Trial to Begin in Los Angeles Federal Court

    Hunter Biden, President Joe Biden’s son, will stand trial in Los Angeles on Thursday, facing criminal charges for allegedly failing to pay $1.4 million in taxes while spending lavishly on drugs, sex workers, and luxury items. Biden, who has pleaded not guilty, was charged in December as part of an extensive investigation into his finances…

  • Emboldened by Supreme Court, California Turns to Police in Homeless Crisis

    Palm Springs, historically known as a desert retreat for Los Angeles’ wealthy elite, has implemented several progressive initiatives to address homelessness. However, in July, the all-Democratic city council passed a controversial ban on sleeping on public property, expanding police authority to arrest the unhoused. This decision highlights how even liberal cities are growing impatient as…

  • Trump to Plead Not Guilty to Charges in Revised Indictment

    Former President Donald Trump stated in a court filing on Tuesday that he would plead not guilty to criminal charges in a revised indictment accusing him of attempting to overturn his 2020 election loss. Trump, the Republican candidate in the upcoming November 5 presidential election, waived his right to appear in court and instead authorized…