Federal prosecutors filed a sentencing memorandum Friday seeking a “substantial” prison term for US President Donald Trump’s former lawyer, Michael Cohen. As set forth in the Probation Department’s Presentence Investigation Report … the applicable United States Sentencing Guidelines … range is 51 to 63 months’ imprisonment. This range reflects Cohen’s extensive, deliberate, and serious criminal [...]
UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Zeid Ra’ad Al Hussein on Monday expressed concern over the recent violence along the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel that has left multiple Palestinian civilians dead. Speaking to the Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People, Zeid noted that the past two [...]
The European Court of Human Rights on Tuesday criticized Russia over its treatment of three members of Pussy Riot and its handling of the investigation into the death of journalist Anna Politkovskaya . The court found that Russia had violated five articles of the European Convention on Human Rights in its arrest and conviction of [...]
US Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy announced his retirement Wednesday, effective July 31. In a letter to President Donald Trump, Kennedy wrote: For a member of the legal profession it is the highest of honors to serve on this Court. Please permit me by this letter to express my profound gratitude for having had the [...]
The US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 Tuesday in Trump v. Hawaii that President Donald Trump’s proclamation restricting entry from particular Muslim-majority countries was within in his authority. The court also found that plaintiffs challenging the proclamation were unlikely to succeed on their claim that the ban violated the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. Chief [...]
The US Supreme Court ruled 5-4 Friday in Carpenter v. United States that police must generally obtain a warrant in order to obtain cell phone location data. This case arose from petitioner Timothy Carpenter’s conviction for armed robbery, for which he was sentenced to 116 days in prison. At trial, the prosecution offered evidence of [...]
The US Supreme Court granted certiorari in five cases Monday, including a major antitrust case against computer giant Apple. In Apple, Inc. v. Pepper the court will decide “hether consumers may sue for antitrust damages anyone who delivers goods to them, even where they seek damages based on prices set by third parties who would [...]
The US Supreme Court handed a narrow victory Monday to a Colorado baker who had refused to bake a wedding cake for a same-sex couple citing his religious beliefs. The court ruled in Masterpiece Cakeshop, Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission that the commission violated the First Amendment’s free exercise clause in assessing the cakeshop [...]
The US Supreme Court on Monday vacated and remanded the Washington State Supreme Court ruling for the Lundgren family in Upper Skagit Indian Tribe v. Lundgren . The Upper Skagit Indian Tribe had purchased a 40-acre plot of land. After a survey of the land, they believed that an acre of their property was fenced [...]
A Louisiana bill that would ban abortions after 15 weeks was given final legislative approval Wednesday. The act makes it illegal for a physician to perform an abortion after 15 weeks gestational age. Any physician who does so would face up to 10 years in prison and be subject to fines up to $100,000. The [...]
