Courts
The Supreme Court Has Halted Richard Glossip's Execution
The state's own attorney general has said Glossip deserves a new trial.
This California Bill Would Mandate Punishment of Marijuana Debtors Without a Hearing
To address an "unpaid debt bubble," the proposed law would dictate contract terms and require regulators to intervene in commercial disputes.
Judge Dismisses Trump Lawsuit Against The New York Times
Plus: Senate Judiciary Committee considers the EARN IT Act, the FTC has A.I. in its crosshairs, and more...
The Government Stole Her Home Equity Over an Unpaid Tax Bill. Will the Supreme Court Vindicate Her?
A win for Geraldine Tyler, who is now 94 years old, would be a win for property rights.
Brittney Griner's Russian Imprisonment Outraged the Country. So Should Vladimir Kara-Murza's.
The journalist and dissident, who was sentenced to 25 years in a penal colony for criticizing the Russian government, has not received the same attention.
Oklahoma Says Richard Glossip Was Denied a Fair Trial. An Appeals Court Still Won't Overturn His Conviction.
"While I respect the Court of Criminal Appeals' opinion, I am not willing to allow an execution to proceed despite so many doubts," said Oklahoma's attorney general.
The Supreme Court Will Decide Whether You Have a Right to a Prompt Hearing After Cops Seize Your Property
The Supreme Court has agreed to hear two consolidated cases by Alabama women whose cars were both seized for more than a year before courts found they were innocent owners.
Is Clarence Thomas Ethically Challenged?
Plus: What the editors hate most about the IRS and tax day
Texas' Foster Care System Is Grossly Mismanaged
"These things are just so inexcusable," a judge said. "It's hard to understand."
Judge Rules New York State Police Must Disclose Misconduct Records
It's been nearly three years since New York repealed its police secrecy law, and departments are still fighting to hide misconduct records.
U.S. Intelligence Leak Suspect Identified as 21-Year-Old Jack Teixeira
Plus: More secrecy from the Global Disinformation Index, the public awaits another big Supreme Court abortion decision, and more...
Was Anyone Victimized by Trump's 34 Alleged Felonies?
The case against the former president is both morally dubious and legally shaky.
Abortion, Guns, Trump, and the New Era of Shout-Down Politics
Plus: The editors respond to a listener question concerning corporate personhood.
Most Americans Say New York Charges Against Trump Are 'Serious'
Headlines about the 34 alleged felonies seem to have obscured newly revealed information about the weakness of the charges.
Dueling Decisions Leave Abortion Pill's Fate Uncertain
The divergent orders from judges in Washington state and Texas may bring the battle over mifepristone to the Supreme Court.
Oklahoma Almost Killed Him 3 Times. Now, the State Is Trying To Vacate His Conviction.
"It is critical that Oklahomans have absolute faith that the death penalty is administered fairly and with certainty," said the state's attorney general in a Thursday press release.
5 Years After the Backpage Shutdown, Sex Workers—and Free Speech—Are Still Suffering
As former Backpage execs await their August trial, the shutdown is still worsening the lives it was supposed to improve.
Trump Commuted His Sentence. Now the Justice Department Is Going To Prosecute Him Again.
Philip Esformes' case is a story about what happens when the government violates some of its most basic promises.
Is Telling Someone To 'Die' on Facebook Protected by the First Amendment?
A Colorado man was convicted under an anti-stalking law for sending hostile messages online.
Prosecutors Are Still Hazy About What Crime Trump Was Trying To Conceal by Falsifying Business Records
The continuing ambiguity reflects the legal challenges that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg faces in transforming one hush payment into 34 felonies.
He Got 30 Years for Murder After a Cop Killed His Friend
Lakeith Smith's case epitomizes the issues with the "felony murder" doctrine.
Progressive-Backed Candidate Wins Seat on Wisconsin's Supreme Court
Abortion and gerrymandering are likely to be on the court's docket in the near future, and Janet Protasiewicz ran unabashedly to the left on both issues. Is this the best way to decide contentious topics?
Trump's Indictment Illustrates How the Wackos Have Hijacked Politics
Also: The sensitivity readers come for sci-fi anarchist Ursula Le Guin, how foreign trade can make American supply chains more resilient, and more...
Trump's New York Indictment Turns One Hush Payment Into 34 Felonies
Prosecutors are counting each record misrepresenting the former president's reimbursement of that payment as a separate crime.
Donald Trump's Historic Indictment: 34 Counts of Business Fraud and a 'Not Guilty' Plea
Trump is charged with 34 criminal counts connected to the payment of $130,000 to porn star Stormy Daniels in 2016 as part of a nondisclosure agreement.
It Looks Like Donald Trump Will Finally Be Indicted Later Today
Plus: Debating whether GPT-4 actually understands language, U.S. immigration law stops a college basketball star from scoring, and more...
A 5-Year-Old Pulled Down a 3-Year-Old's Pants. The Preschool Workers Are on Trial.
"We are here because one preschooler pulled down another preschooler's pants," says defense attorney Jason Flores-Williams.
Trump Indictment Could Be the Jolt His Flailing 2024 Campaign Needs
Plus: Evidence that social media causes teen health problems "isn't convincing," more states ban gender transition treatments for minors, and more...
The Ruling Upholding the Gun Rights of People Subject to Restraining Orders Is Not As Crazy As You Might Think
The 5th Circuit noted that such orders can be issued without any credible evidence of a threat to others.
Federal Courts Clash Over Financial Watchdog's Constitutionality
The CFPB funding scheme is constitutional, the 2nd Circuit says.
Law Enforcement Beat This Innocent Man to a Pulp. Will the Supreme Court Allow Him To Seek Recourse?
James King is once again asking the high court to rule that two officers should not receive immunity for choking him unconscious and temporarily disfiguring his face.
With (Judicial) Friends Like These…
The surprising recent rise in partisan, racial, and gender differences in circuit judges following earlier opinions.
Federal Appeals Court Stops the 'Stop WOKE Act'
The 11th Circuit panel refused to lift an injunction against the law.
New York's Libertarian and Green Parties Petition Supreme Court Over New York's Restrictive Ballot Access Laws
The third parties think the new ballot restrictions meet no legitimate state interest besides guaranteeing Democrat and Republican hold on government.
A Class Action Reveals the Horrifying Truth: 'Boneless Wings' Are Breast Meat!
Lawyers representing an allegedly duped Buffalo Wild Wings customer demand that the company disgorge its ill-gotten gains.
In the Israeli Battle Over Judicial Review, Democracy Is the Problem, Not the Solution
Opponents of the reforms favored by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's coalition should acknowledge the threat posed by unconstrained majority rule.
Ride-Share and Delivery Drivers Are Independent Contractors, Says Court
Plus: College says abortion art runs afoul of state law, the politics of Silicon Valley Bank's collapse, and more...
Rampant Plea Bargaining Is a Raw Deal for Defendants
A new report details how plea bargaining can hurt defendants and warps the justice system.
Let Massholes Be Massholes, Says Bay State's High Court
Criticism of public officials doesn't have to be polite, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court confirmed.
NetChoice Seeks Injunction Against California's Disastrous Internet Law
The trade association says the overbroad and vague A.B. 2273 places unconstitutional burdens on speech.
Federal Appeals Court Upholds First Amendment Right To Warn Drivers of Police Ahead
Michael Friend was arrested in 2018 for holding a sign that read "Cops Ahead" near a police checkpoint. That arrest violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights, a federal appeals court has ruled.
Is Investigating a School Sexting Incident the Same as Possessing Child Porn? A Judge Says No.
Bradley Bass' case in Colorado says a lot about just how powerful prosecutors are.
The Deck Is Stacked Against Americans Who Try To Sue Government Officials
It's a threat to our fundamental rights, but courts refuse to change their approach.
Google Supreme Court Case Tests Whether Tech Firms Are Liable for User Content
Section 230 helped the internet flourish. Now its scope is under scrutiny.
District Court Halts New York Law Forcing Online Platforms To 'Respond' to 'Hateful' Speech
"Today's decision is a victory for the First Amendment that should be celebrated by everyone who hopes to see the internet continue as a place where even difficult and contentious issues can be debated and discussed freely," said one attorney.
PredictIt Helps Forecast Election Results. Bureaucrats Are Trying To Kill It.
Election betting markets are often more reliable than pundits. Did the site steal user funds? No. Did they lie to people? No. Harm anyone? No.
How a Drafting Error Made It Harder for New Yorkers To Obtain Relief From Marijuana Felony Records
Because legislators omitted a crucial letter, there is no straightforward way to downgrade convictions for offenses that are no longer felonies.