Lawsuits
Greta Rideout's Landmark Rape Case Against Her Husband: 'I Did It for My Daughter'
Author Sarah Weinman's Without Consent tells the story of the legal and political battles to outlaw spousal rape in the U.S.
This Ruling Does Not Bode Well for Trump's Attempt To Portray Journalism as Consumer Fraud
On Thursday, a federal judge dismissed a lawsuit that echoed Donald Trump's claims against the Des Moines Register and pollster Ann Selzer.
Illinois Is Taking the Feds to Court Over 'Trump's Invasion' of Chicago
"The Trump Administration's Department of War gave me an ultimatum: call up your troops, or we will," Gov. J.B. Pritzker said.
They Face $1 Million in Fines—for Someone Else's Code Violations
Humboldt County, California's sketchy code enforcement scheme piles ruinous fines on innocent people and sets them up to lose.
He Died of Thirst in Solitary Confinement. Now His Family Is Suing for Answers.
After 51-year-old Lamont Mealy was found dead in a Maryland prison cell, officials called it “natural causes.” His family’s lawsuit says guards intentionally shut off his water.
A D.C. Man Was Arrested for Mocking National Guard Troops with Star Wars' 'Imperial March.' Now He's Suing.
Sam O'Hara went viral for playing "The Imperial March" behind groups of National Guard soldiers in D.C. He also says it led to him being illegally detained.
Elizabeth Warren Says Companies That Settled With Trump May Have Committed Bribery
While the settlements likely don't meet the statutory definition of bribery, they're still inappropriate.
Texas City Council Approves $500,000 Payment to Former Member Who Said Her Advocacy Led to a Bogus Arrest
The settlement, which followed Sylvia Gonzalez's victory at the Supreme Court, also includes remedial First Amendment training for city officials.
This Indiana City Doesn't Have To Pay an Innocent Mom $16,000 After Police Wrecked Her Home, Court Rules
Law enforcement launched 30 tear gas canisters into Amy Hadley's home, smashed windows, ransacked furniture, destroyed security cameras, and more. The government gave her nothing.
Civil Rights Group Sues ICE for Withholding Records of the Agency's Detention Expansion Plans in Virginia
Lawyers at America's largest civil liberties group say the agency’s lack of transparency violates federal disclosure requirements.
Why a Trump Appointee Ruled That His National Guard Deployment in Portland Was Illegal
U.S. District Judge Karin Immergut concluded that the president's description of "War ravaged Portland" was "simply untethered to the facts."
ICE Arrested a U.S. Citizen—Twice—During Alabama Construction Site Raids. Now He's Suing.
“I got arrested twice for being a Latino working in construction,” says Leo Garcia Venegas, the lead plaintiff in a new lawsuit filed by the Institute for Justice challenging warrantless ICE raids on construction sites.
Immigrants Arrested During Federal Takeover of D.C. Police Are Suing ICE and Other Federal Agencies
Five plaintiffs are arguing that several mass immigration arrests in the nation’s capital were made without probable cause.
How a Fight Over Voter Data Could Reshape American Elections
Lawsuits against Oregon and Maine test how far the federal government can go in demanding access to voter information.
Trump's $15 Billion Lawsuit Against The New York Times Is His Craziest One Yet
The complaint suggests the Times showed "actual malice" because its reporters hated him. That's not how that works.
Florida Applies for Federal Reimbursement for 'Alligator Alcatraz' Costs Despite Court Warning
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis promised that the federal government would reimburse the state for the costs of "Alligator Alcatraz," but doing so would make the detention facility subject to environmental reviews Florida ignored.
The New Texas Ban on Cell-Cultured Protein Is an Unconstitutional Interstate Trade Barrier, a Lawsuit Says
The ban's supporters, whose motivation is plainly protectionist, claim they are defending freedom by restricting it.
Raw Milk Debates Are Turning Sour in Florida
Florida officials can’t agree on whether unpasteurized milk is a health threat or benefit, leaving consumers more confused than if they were left to decide for themselves.
Federal Appeals Court Says Trump's Tariffs Are Unlawful, Allows Them To Remain in Place
Trump went "beyond the authority delegated to the President," the court ruled, but it vacated an injunction that could have provided immediate tariff relief to American businesses.
Judge Orders Alligator Alcatraz To Wind Down Operations Within 60 Days
A federal district court judge granted environmentalist groups’ request for a preliminary injunction.
Court Kills California's One-Gun-a-Month Law
There’s no historical precedent for trying to ration constitutionally protected rights.
Hotel Sex Trafficking Suit Can Proceed, Inviting Hotels to Profile and Harass Guests
Can a hotel be guilty of sex trafficking just because it didn't surveil its customers enough?
The Government Seized 7 Horses From a Georgia 'Urban Cowboy.' A Court Says He Can Sue.
In a rare and significant decision, a federal court ruled Brandon Fulton can sue directly under the Takings Clause—without Congress creating a specific remedy.
Federal Court Appears Receptive to Arguments Against Unilateral Presidential Tariff Power
President Trump’s invocation of emergency powers to impose tariffs faces skeptical judges.
Veteran With PTSD Can Sue the Cops Who Arrested Him for Panhandling and Tased His Service Dog, Court Rules
Joshua Rohrer's dog, Sunshine, ran away and was later hit and killed by a car.
The Government Took Their Home Equity Over Modest Debts. Michigan's Supreme Court Just Threw Them a Lifeline.
Years after home equity theft was ruled unconstitutional, Michigan keeps looking for ways around the ruling.
The ACLU Says a New York Official Violated the NRA's First Amendment Rights. They Still Can't Sue Her.
A federal court concluded the official was entitled to qualified immunity in a case that united two unlikely allies.
The FBI Seized Her $40,000 Without Explaining Why. She Fought Back Against That Practice—and Lost.
The twist underscores just how little accountability exists in civil forfeiture, which allows law enforcement to seize assets without charging the owner with a crime.
Michigan Wineries Win $50 Million in Fight Against Local Zoning Rules
A federal judge ruled that Peninsula Township’s former restrictions on music, events, and grape sourcing violated the rights of local wineries.
Police Officer Threatens To Run Over Protester for Filming on the Sidewalk
The city of Allentown has spent more than $2 million settling excessive force claims, and yet the police still crack down on civilians exercising their constitutional rights.
'Subway Surfing' Death Suit Against TikTok, Meta Further Chips Away at Section 230
Norma Nazario blames her son's death on social media algorithms.
Trump, Who Wants To 'Straighten Out the Press,' Sues The Wall Street Journal Over 'Fake' Epstein Letter
Whatever the merits of this particular defamation claim, the president has a long history of abusing the legal system to punish constitutionally protected speech.
Feds Try To Bankrupt a Moving Company for Hiring Strong, Young Movers
Nobody complained about the company, so federal bureaucrats launched their own crusade.
'Alligator Alcatraz' Detainees Say in New Lawsuit They're Being Denied Access to Their Attorneys
The lawsuit says attorneys have been repeatedly turned away from the detention camp and had virtual meetings mysteriously canceled.
How Environmental Groups Use Hysteria To Get Rich—and Stop Progress
Most of Big E spends little on cleaning rivers or parks and far more on filing lawsuits.
Why a Trump-Appointed Judge Is Torching His Own Court's Approach to Qualified Immunity
Judge James C. Ho recently described a troubling phenomenon on the 5th Circuit and the government abuse it enables.
Georgia Couple Whose Daughters Were Taken After False Child Abuse Claims File Lawsuit
Matt and Tuckey Hernandez lost their daughters for two years after their infant's medical issues were misidentified as abuse.
NIMBY Lawsuit Accidentally Abolishes City's Entire Zoning Code
Plus: The Supreme Court declines to hear major eviction moratorium case, Maine passes zoning reform, and why tourist traps are good, actually.
Federal Prison Guards Allegedly Beat an Inmate to a Pulp. The Supreme Court Says He Can't Sue.
The ruling tells an interesting story about how the very body that created a cause of action for victims of federal abuse has since worked to undermine that right.
New Jersey Towns Face Setback in Lawsuit Against State's Affordable Housing Mandate
Despite this setback, a coalition of municipalities is challenging the state’s housing program in federal court.
Supreme Court Rules 6–3 for Trump, Limits 'Nationwide Injunctions' in Birthright Citizenship Case
“Federal courts do not exercise general oversight of the Executive Branch,” declared Justice Amy Coney Barrett.
Don't Blame 23andMe for the Federal Government's Lack of Clear Data Privacy Rules
A lawsuit against the genomics company "imposes top-down restrictions" rather than "establishing clear rules" or "letting companies equip individuals with better tools to manage their privacy," says one expert.
A Judge's Order Freeing Mahmoud Khalil Is Yet Another Loss for the Trump Administration's Immigration Agenda
A federal judge didn't buy the Trump administration's claims about why it was keeping Khalil in an federal immigration detention center.
