US Legal News

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court announced Friday that it will hear an appeal from Derek Lee, a man convicted of second-degree murder who is challenging the state’s law requiring mandatory life prison sentences for those found guilty of the offense who did not intend to kill. The court granted Lee’s petition for an appeal on the [...]

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Judge Arthur Engoron of the New York Supreme Court found former president Donald Trump liable for falsifying business records, issuing false financial statements and conspiracy to commit fraud and insurance fraud on Friday, fining Trump and his business nearly $355 million, subject to interest. Trump was also banned from serving as an officer in any New York [...]

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US President Joe Biden said Friday that he was unsurprised but outraged to learn of the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny, adding the US was considering a “whole number of options” in response. During a press conference called to address Navalny’s death in a remote prison colony, Biden lauded the opposition figure, who [...]

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Eoghanacht, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

The US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit reinstated a Florida man’s conviction on Thursday, following a challenge that the police department violated the man’s Miranda rights. Jimmie Bowen was arrested for his alleged involvement in gang related violence. After being advised of his Miranda rights, Bowen invoked his right to counsel. Some time [...]

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Lectrician2, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The Wisconsin State Assembly passed a constitutional amendment Thursday to restrict diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) initiatives within state and local governmental entities. Introduced by Republican representatives and cosponsored by select senators, the amendment aims to “prohibit governmental entity discrimination.” Explicitly, the amendment declares: A governmental entity may not discriminate against, or grant preferential treatment [...]

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Lucas Werkmeister, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Virginia filed two lawsuits Thursday against the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) on behalf of two transgender students challenging the department’s 2023 model policies. Virginia law authorizes VDOE to issue model policies regarding the treatment of transgender students, and the policies are required to reflect “evidence-based best practices” for [...]

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I, Aude, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A former Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) informant was charged Thursday for falsifying reports that US President Joe Biden and his son, Hunter Biden, each received $5 million in bribes from a Ukrainian energy company. According to the indictment, Alexander Smirnov reported to an FBI Agent in March 2017 that he had been in contact [...]

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The US Department of Justice (DOJ) filed suit against the state of Tennessee on Thursday seeking the invalidation of a law criminalizing “aggravated” prostitution citing the discriminatory impacts of its elevated penalties on those convicted of prostitution if they are HIV positive. The lawsuit also seeks expungement of state registries related to the law’s enforcement [...]

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Johnragla, CC0, via Wikimedia Commons

US President Joe Biden issued a directive on Wednesday allowing for Palestinian immigrants to say in the US without facing deportation for 18 months. Palestinian immigrants within the US are now covered under “deferred enforced departure,” which aims to provide a “temporary safe haven” for Palestinians who qualify. However, individuals convicted of felonies or deemed [...]

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White House, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Special Counsel Jack Smith, the prosecutor leading the federal election interference case against former US President Donald Trump, urged the US Supreme Court on Wednesday to deny Trump’s request to extend a stay on trial court proceedings. Trump asked the court to stay trial proceedings on the case before a DC district court on Monday [...]

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