Lyle Denniston

Feb 21 2023

The Internet and terrorism

On Wednesday, the Supreme Court will continue its examination – begun today – of the legal rules governing the operation of some of the biggest social media platforms.  The Justices will next hear a case involving Twitter, reviewing the scope of anti-terrorism laws when used to challenge those platforms’ hosting of terrorist propaganda. The Court… Read More

Feb 20 2023

The Court and the Internet

Back after a four-week winter recess and a federal holiday on Monday, the Supreme Court this week takes up two highly important tests of the laws governing the Internet, including legal rules on the operation of some of the biggest online platforms. The Court will broadcast “live” the audio (no video) of the hearings on… Read More

Feb 7 2023

A way to save a right to abortion?

In a bold move that could stir up a major new controversy over abortion, a federal judge in Washington, D.C., has decided to test a theory that could restore a constitutional right for a woman to end a pregnancy – under the anti-slavery Thirteenth Amendment. In a four-page order on Monday, U.S. District Judge Colleen… Read More

Feb 4 2023

Major elections case out of Court’s reach?

A major constitutional dispute that the Supreme Court is now reviewing – one of history’s most important tests of voters’ rights — may be ended without a ruling by the Justices, because of new developments in the state where that case began – North Carolina. On Friday, a newly installed majority of Republican members of… Read More

Jan 20 2023

Justices were questioned in leaks probe

The Supreme Court staff officer who ran the internal investigation of the leak of the draft abortion opinion moved on Friday to head off speculation that one or more of the Justices released that document. Gail A. Curley, who is the Court’s Marshal, said she spoke “with each of the Justices, several on multiple occasions,”… Read More

Jan 19 2023

No Supreme Court leaker found

The most embarrassing, and probably most disruptive, “leak” in Supreme Court history – the unauthorized public disclosure last year of a draft of the historic Dobbs abortion decision – may have resulted from flawed internal secrecy procedures, but no individual leaker could be found, the Court said on Thursday. After an internal investigation that began… Read More

Jan 17 2023

The Court and disability rights

On Wednesday, in its final hearing this month, the Supreme Court will try to sort out several interacting federal laws that seek to protect the rights of disabled children to education in public schools. The Court will broadcast “live” the audio (no video) of the hearing on its homepage, supremecourt.gov  To listen, click on “Live… Read More

Jan 16 2023

U.S. courts on the world stage

Today is a legal holiday at the Supreme Court; hearings will resume on Tuesday.  The Court will turn then to the role of American courts in overseeing controls on people entering the U.S. from other countries and in enforcing sanctions against rogue behavior by foreign governments or their agencies. The Court will broadcast “live” the… Read More

Jan 10 2023

When can governments be sued?

On Wednesday, the single hearing at the Supreme Court will focus on a core constitutional question about government immunity to being sued.  The case involves a claim of legal immunity for an agency in Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory. The Court will broadcast “live” the audio (no video) of the hearing on its homepage, supremecourt.gov. … Read More

Jan 9 2023

Federal-state tension in the Court

A single case will be heard by the Supreme Court Tuesday and, while it deals with a labor union strike, it will take the Justices back to constitutional origins and the tension between national and state government powers. The Court will broadcast “live” the audio (no video) of the hearing on its homepage, supremecourt.gov  To… Read More

Lyle Denniston continues to write about the U.S. Supreme Court, although he “retired” at the end of 2019 following more than six decades on that news beat. He was there for three revolutions – civil rights, women’s rights, and gay rights – and the start of a fourth, on transgender rights. His career of following the law began at the Otoe County Courthouse in his hometown, Nebraska City, Nebraska, in the fall of 1948. His online, eight-week, college-level course – “The Supreme Court and American Politics” – is available from the University of Baltimore Law School, and it is free.

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