State officials in Alabama asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday evening to postpone same-sex marriages in the state, after lower trial and appeals courts refused any delay. At present, a federal trial judge’s ruling striking down the state’s same-sex marriage ban is due to go into effect on February 9. The state officials asked the Justices… Read More
Same-sex marriage issue grows at appeals court
A federal judge in Atlanta on Thursday cleared the way for a same-sex marriage case in Georgia to move to a federal appeals court, joining cases already there from Alabama and Florida. The Georgia appeal should come before the case is decided in his trial court, U.S. District Judge William S. Duffey, Jr., ruled.
Court allows Texas execution (UPDATED)
This post appeared originally on scotusblog.com The Supreme Court on Thursday evening cleared the way for Texas to execute death-row inmate Robert Charles Ladd, a new indication that the Justices will leave states with wide leeway to carry out the death penalty. With no noted dissents, the Court turned down two pleas for delay of… Read More
Louisiana inmate in key case about to be free (UPDATED)
UPDATED: George Toca has now been released, his lawyers said in a public statement. ——— A Louisiana prison inmate whose life sentence is under review by the Supreme Court was on the verge of being released on Thursday, according to news accounts in New Orleans. George Toca, convicted of second-degree murder nearly thirty years ago when… Read More
Ouster of state judge Moore sought
A liberal legal advocacy group on Wednesday filed an ethics complaint against Alabama Chief Justice Roy S. Moore, seeking his removal from the bench. The challenge by the Southern Poverty Law Center was based upon the judge’s public protests about federal courts’ rulings on same-sex marriage.
Oklahoma executions put off
This post appeared originally on scotusblog.com Without a noted dissent, the Supreme Court on Wednesday afternoon delayed the scheduled execution of three Oklahoma death-row inmates, whose case the Justices will hear in late April. The executions were put on hold, but only so far as the state would use a specific drug in the procedure —… Read More
Court allows Georgia execution
This post originally appeared on scotusblog.com UPDATE 8:20 p.m. Georgia completed the execution of Warren Hill, with death pronounced at 7:55 p.m. In two brief orders allowing the state of Georgia to execute a man whose lawyers claim he is intellectually disabled, the Supreme Court gave a strong signal on Tuesday evening that it is not… Read More
Court docket on lawyer discipline to be public
Beginning on February 1, the Supreme Court will publicly disclose documents on actions it is considering or taking to discipline lawyers who are members of its bar, long shielded in privacy, the Court announced on Tuesday. Currently, that file is treated as confidential, although final disciplinary actions are made public along with regular orders on pending… Read More
State judge sees “tyranny” in same-sex marriage rulings
Alabama’s state Chief Justice, Roy S. Moore, on Tuesday urged the governor of his state to join with him in stopping “the judicial tyranny” of federal courts ruling in favor of same-sex marriage. In a three-page letter to Governor Robert Bentley, the state’s highest judicial officer argued that state courts are not bound by rulings by… Read More
Breyer turns down generic firms’ plea
Supreme Court Justice Stephen G. Breyer on Tuesday refused to order a quick release of the Court’s new ruling in the Copaxone drug patent case, but he left open the option for the generic companies to ask another Justice to take the step. Breye…