US Supreme Court rules Arizona death row inmate entitled to second post conviction relief petition
The US Supreme Court Wednesday granted a request by death row inmate John Cruz for post conviction relief from his 2005 death sentence. In an opinion by Justice Sotomayor, the court ruled that the Arizona Supreme Court incorrectly held that the 2016 case Lynch v. Arizona was “not a significant change in law” meriting a [...]
US Supreme Court retains Trump-era Title 42 deportation policy
In a 5-4 vote the US Supreme Court Tuesday allowed Title 42, a Trump-era deportation policy, to remain in effect. With the decision, the court put on hold a lower federal judge’s decision that would have ended the Title 42 policy last week. The court stated that this ruling does not preclude the federal government [...]
The US Supreme Court Monday heard oral arguments in 303 Creative LLC v. Elenis. The Court will decide whether Colorado’s Antidiscrimination Act compels an artist to speak or stay silent and whether the law violates the First Amendment. Lorie Smith, the owner of 303 Creative, wishes to design wedding websites but would like to post [...]
US Supreme Court allows Missouri to carry out execution despite claims of racial bias in prosecution
The US Supreme Court Tuesday denied an application to stay the execution of Kevin Johnson, a man convicted of murdering a police officer. Johnson had filed a petition to stay his execution with the court alleging racial bias throughout his prosecution. The petition to the US Supreme Court was presented to Justice Brett Kavanaugh and [...]
US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor Thursday rejected a bid to prevent New York City from enforcing its COVID-19 vaccine mandate for teachers, firefighters and police officers. Sotomayor was unwilling to grant the emergency request, received on November 4, to block the policy. Petitioners brought the emergency request alongside their ongoing appeal of a lower [...]
US Supreme Court hears oral arguments in case involving overtime pay for highly-compensated employee
The US Supreme Court Wednesday heard oral arguments in Helix Energy Solutions Group, Inc. v. Hewitt. The court was asked to determine whether a supervisor who makes over $200,000 a year is entitled to overtime pay under 29 CFR § 541.604, despite an exemption in 29 CFR § 541.601 for highly-paid executives. Michael Hewitt worked for [...]
US Supreme Court denies death row inmate's appeal on claims of racially prejudiced jury
The US Supreme Court Tuesday denied a black death row inmate’s appeal over claims his trial was tarnished by several jurors who stated their opposition of interracial relationships. Justices Sotomayor, Kagan and Jackson dissented. Andre Lee Thomas was sentenced to death in 2005 for the murders of his wife, their son and her daughter from [...]
The US Supreme Court Tuesday heard oral arguments in Merrill v. Milligan to determine whether Alabama’s 2021 redistricting plan for the US House of Representatives violates Section 2 of the Voting Rights Act (VRA). The lawsuit first arose back in November 2021 when Alabama Governor Kay Ivey signed the congressional plan allowing one majority Black [...]
The US Supreme Court Thurday ruled 5-4 that Alabama may carry out the death sentence of inmate Alan Miller through lethal injection rather than Miller’s requested method of nitrogen hypoxia. The Supreme Court lifted a lower court order that would have required Alabama to use nitrogen hypoxia instead of the lethal injection. Justices Sonia Sotomayor, [...]
The Supreme Court of the United States Wednesday voted 5-4 to uphold a ruling that Yeshiva University must recognize an LBGTQ student group. The majority stated that the university must pursue a challenge to the lower court’s ruling in state court before entering into federal court. Last week, Justice Sonia Sotomayor temporarily blocked the order [...]
