On Tuesday, April 17, 2018, the United States Supreme Court decided Sessions v. Dimaya, 584 U.S. ___ (2018), with Justice Neil Gorsuch casting the deciding vote against the Trump Administration. The Supreme Court held that 18 U.S.C. 16(b), as incorporated into the Immigration and Nationality Act, was unconstitutionally "void for vagueness," citing Johnson v. United States, 576 U.S. ___ (2015).


Posted in: US Immigration

Along with other news organizations, the Los Angeles Times has filed a lawsuit challenging California's new execution rules. The complaint alleges violations of the plaintiffs' First Amendment rights to witness and report on executions on behalf of the public. At issue are provisions permitting lethal injection drugs to be concocted outside the view of media observers, and requiring the curtains in the lethal injection chamber to be drawn and media witnesses removed if an execution does not proceed as planned. 


Posted in: Free Speech

In a motion filed on Friday, April 13th, the NFL requested the appointment of a special investigator to stop the "widespread fraud" that allegedly is taking place in efforts to secure payment from the $1 billion settlement.


A federal district court judge in Massachusetts ruled that the Second Amendment does not prevent Massachusetts from banning assault rifles.


Federal District Court Judge Mark E. Walker had some choice words for the administration of Florida Governor Rick Scott in a recent ruling on voting rights. View the full docket and reading the ruling on Justia.


Some residents of the Mississippi town, Oceans Springs, have filed a lawsuit, attempting to ban the city from displaying the state flag, which they contend is ’racially demeaning.’


Posted in: Civil Rights

Last week 16 Pulse shooting survivors filed a federal lawsuit against Facebook, Twitter, and Google claiming they helped spread terrorist propaganda with resulted in the deadly Orlando shooting.Specifically, the lawsuit claims that the major tech companies helped terrorists by "aiding, abetting, and knowingly providing support and resources to ISIS.” Without major social media website such as Facebook, Twitter, and Google, plaintiffs argue ISIS would not have become a powerful terrorist organization, and the Pulse attack would not have occurred.


Posted in: Internet Law

Campaign for Accountability (CfA), a watchdog group, filed a lawsuit this month against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in the District of Columbia to demand the release of documents linked to the Tar Creek Superfund site, which is located in northeastern Oklahoma.


Tagged: EPA, FOIA, Superfund

On Wednesday, April 04, 2018, the U.S Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against California challenging a law that provides the state with the power to purchase federal lands or to designate a specific buyer. Lawmakers who passed the law reasoned that it is needed due to the 46 million acres of federal lands in California, arguing that the Trump administration may use those lands for more logging, oil drilling, or development.


On March 31, a federal district court judge in Washington, DC, held that the fees collected by PACER—the electronic records system of the federal court system—are being used for purposes not authorized by law.