Jacob Blake, who was shot and paralyzed by a police officer in August, filed a lawsuit in federal court Thursday against officer Rusten Sheskey on allegations of excessive use of force. Sheskey, a white police officer, shot Blake, a Black man, on August 23 when responding to a complaint of “family trouble.” The shooting occurred [...]

Products liability suits against Ford Motors in Montana and Minnesota can go forward in their respective state courts, said the US Supreme Court on Thursday. The court rejected Ford’s argument that personal specific jurisdiction was limited to lawsuits in states where Ford manufactured or originally sold vehicles. For courts to have specific jurisdiction over a [...]

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court ruled Wednesday that the attorney general’s office does not have authority under the consumer protection law to sue natural gas exploration firms over their leasing practices. The Pennsylvania Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (UTPCPL) declares unlawful “unfair methods of competition and unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the [...]

The New Georgia Project, Black Voters Matter Fund, and RISE, Inc. filed a lawsuit on Thursday against Georgia Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger and several State Election Board officials challenging provisions of SB 202, a controversial voting bill passed earlier in the day. The organizations argue that the bill will, “ it harder for lawful [...]

Fourteen US states filed suit Wednesday over the Biden administration’s pause of the federal Oil and Gas Leasing Program. President Joe Biden ordered a “temporary moratorium” on the program on January 21 so that the Department of the Interior could conduct a “comprehensive analysis of the potential environmental impacts of the oil and gas program.” The Department hosted a virtual [...]

Virginia Governor Ralph Northam signed a bill abolishing the death penalty Wednesday. Under Senate Bill 1165 and House Bill 2263, any person with a death sentence for an offense committed before July 1, 2021, will be sentenced to life imprisonment instead, and “no person may be sentenced to death or put to death” under the [...]

The New Zealand Parliament passed the Holidays (Bereavement Leave for Miscarriage) Amendment Bill (No 2) on Wednesday, providing three days bereavement leave for mothers and partners after a miscarriage or stillbirth. The bill was presented by Labour MP Ginny Anderson who highlighted the importance of providing time to recover physically and mentally recover from grief [...]

The US Supreme Court ruled 5-3 Thursday in Torres v. Madrid that a Fourth Amendment seizure was effectuated when officers applied physical force with the intent to restrain, even if the person of interest did not submit and was not subdued. Torres was approached by two officers whom she believed were carjackers. She ignored their [...]

The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in Caniglia v. Strom Wednesday, a case where the court is to decide if “community caretaking” is considered an exception to the Fourth Amendment’s general prohibition on warrantless searches and seizures. The case involves a dispute between a married couple and subsequent seizure of weapons from their home. [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit on Wednesday upheld Hawaii’s firearm-licensing law, which restricts open-carry licenses to those who can demonstrate “the urgency or the need” to carry a firearm, that they are of good moral character, and are “engaged in the protection of life and property.” The appellant, George Young, applied for [...]