Maryland governor Lawrence Hogan signed an executive order on Saturday allowing the expedited release of hundreds of eligible inmates in an effort to enable social distancing and mitigate the spread of COVID-19 within the state’s prisons. Hogan’s order authorizes the Commission on Correctional Standards and the Maryland Parole Commission to expedite the release of eligible categories of [...]
The US Federal Communications Commission (FCC) filed a writ of certiorari with the Supreme Court on Friday requesting that the court weigh in on a case on media ownership that has lasted almost two decades. The issue first rose in 2002 during one of the reviews the FCC is required to conduct every four years [...]
A federal judge ruled Friday against Twitter revealing the scope of Department of Justice (DOJ) surveillance requests. The suit concerned Twitter’s Draft Transparency Report that describes the amount of security processes that Twitter received from the DOJ between July 1, 2013, and December 31, 2013. Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers decided the case. Rogers concluded that [...]
A federal judge on Friday blocked Tennessee Governor Bill Lee’s executive order to limit surgical abortions during the COVID-19 pandemic. Abortion providers, Planned Parenthood and the American Civil Liberties Union filed suit after Lee promulgated Executive Order 25 on April 8. The order aimed to limit non-essential procedures to ensure abundant personal protective equipment (PPE) [...]
A federal judge on Saturday blocked Kansas from limiting attendance at in-person religious services or activities to 10 or fewer people to prevent the spread of COVID-19, indicating that he believes that the policy violates First Amendment rights. This ruling prevents the enforcement of Executive Order No. 20-18 issued by Governor Laura Kelly, which sought [...]
A federal judge refused Friday to order California prison officials to release large number of inmates or impose social-distancing requirements as protections against the coronavirus, saying the state has acted reasonably so far by freeing several thousand prisoners ahead of schedule and taking steps to expand housing and improve sanitation. US District Judge Jon Tigar [...]
The Trump Administration announced a new program on Friday to help US farmers who are struggling economically because of disruptions from the pandemic. Farmers and ranchers are having a hard time getting their goods to markets because large buyers like restaurants and college dormitories have stopped buying. Not only is the lack of markets hurting [...]
The US Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit ruled Thursday that a lawsuit challenging the North Carolina General Assembly redistricting plans under the North Carolina constitution must be heard in state, not federal court. Plaintiffs allege that the redistricting plans are unconstitutional partisan gerrymanders. Plaintiffs are 38 voters who are part of the North [...]
A judge for the US District Court for the District of Columbia on Thursday denied Roger Stone’s motion for a new trial due to the alleged misconduct and bias by jury foreperson Tomeka Hart. Stone, a former advisor to President Donald Trump, had filed the motion a few days after being sentenced to 40 months in [...]
A judge for the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida entered a temporary injunction on Friday that halts the sale of an unproven, “potentially dangerous” coronavirus treatment product. The Department of Justice (DOJ) alleged that Genesis II Church of Health and Healing sold a product called Miracle Mineral Solution, which was sold [...]
