The state of Hawaii and the Trump Administration have urged the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit to bypass the usual step of a three-judge panel and assemble the full court to review President Trump’s revised immigration restrictions. If the court agrees, that could speed up review by that appeals court, and move… Read More
UPDATED: Transgender case going over to the Fall
UPDATED Thursday 9:55 a.m. The Fourth Circuit Court on Thursday approved the briefing schedule proposed by the two sides, with all briefs to be filed by June 2. —————————— Both sides in the high-profile case testing the rights of transgender students joined on Wednesday in proposing a schedule that would stretch out appeals court review… Read More
Full 4th Circuit to rule on Trump immigration order
The 15-judge U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit voted on Monday afternoon to review before the full bench, instead of a three-judge panel, the legality of President Trump’s 90-day suspension of entry into the U.S. of any foreign nationals from six Mideast nations. That action, taken by an unspecified majority vote, could speed up… Read More
Maryland judge won’t expand ruling against Trump order
A federal judge in Maryland who last month blocked enforcement nationwide of one key part of President Trump’s revised restrictions on immigration refused on Monday to prevent enforcement of two other significant parts — both dealing with refugees seeking to enter the U.S. District Judge Theodore D. Chuang of Greenbelt, MD, explained that he had no… Read More
It’s official: Gorsuch is a Justice
After 421 days, and after two bitter partisan clashes in the U.S. Senate, the vacant seat on the U.S. Supreme Court has a new occupant: Justice Neal M. Gorsuch, who will be 50 years old in August. Becoming history’s 113th member of the court, he succeeds the late Justice Antonin Scalia, praised by Gorsuch at… Read More
A new delay in high-profile case on transgender rights
A 17-year-old transgender youth in Virginia will go to his high school graduation in June without knowing whether he will win his high-profile lawsuit seeking legal equality at school. In the meantime, however, he has won glowing praise from two federal judges for his personal crusade. “Despite his youth and the formidable power of those… Read More
UPDATED: What will Gorsuch face as a new Justice?
UPDATED Friday 12:10 p.m. Shortly after the Senate confirmed Gorsuch as the Supreme Court’s ninth Justice (213th in history), the court announced that he will take one oath in a private ceremony at the court on Monday morning and will take a second oath in a public ceremony at the White House later that… Read More
Will a changed Senate change the Supreme Court?
In a flurry of parliamentary votes over a span of two hours on Thursday, the U.S. Senate completed its transformation into a markedly different body – at least in the way it exercises its constitutional role to provide “advice and consent” to Supreme Court nominations. It is far from clear, however, whether or how the… Read More
Outside attempt to influence ruling on Trump order
The clerk of a federal appeals court that is now reviewing President Trump’s immigration order disclosed on Tuesday that an attempt, apparently from outside of the case, has been made to try to get a ruling in favor of presidential authority on the issue. For the past several days, similar e-mail messages calling for that… Read More
Workplace rights broadened for gays and lesbians
For the first time, a federal appeals court has ruled that a 1964 civil rights law, as now understood, protects gay and lesbian employees from discrimination in the workplace based on their homosexuality. The Supreme Court has never ruled on the issue, but it is now likely to reach the Justices because of the split… Read More