Covering the Supreme Court, lower courts, and the law

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

After a four-week holiday recess, the Supreme Court returns to the bench on Monday to begin two weeks of hearings.  Two cases to be heard tomorrow will deal with fundamental legal issues with deep roots in history: privacy protection for the advice given by lawyers, and regulating the affairs of the states’ militia – now,… Read More