The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit ruled Tuesday that the Dakota Access Pipeline can continue operating amid legal proceedings. The order rejects a lower court’s decision last week to shut down the pipeline as owner Energy Transfer LP faces legal challenges from the Standing Rock Sioux tribe. Tuesday’s decision emphasizes [...]

Colorado Governor Jared Polis signed a bill on Monday banning the so-called “panic defense” in court, meaning that defendants can no longer blame victims’ sexual orientation or gender identity for their violent actions. Colorado will become the eleventh US state to ban the defense, following states such as Rhode Island, New Jersey, California and New [...]

A Pennsylvania-based environmental nonprofit filed suit Monday against the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) concerning the agency’s interpretation of a section of the Clean Water Act. Established in 1988, the Deleware Riverkeeper Network (DRN) works to “protect and restore the Deleware River, its tributaries, habitats and resources” throughout Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, and Deleware. [...]

The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled Monday that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) cannot withhold federal grant money from California sanctuary cities. The DOJ has provided Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grants, which fund state and local criminal justice programs since 2006. This fund is the “primary provider” of federal [...]

With each passing day that the coronavirus pandemic wears on, there are new statistics in the news making headlines, not just regarding the health and well-being of citizens all across the country, but also about which latest retailer is filing for bankruptcy. This May, clothing giants JCPenney, Neiman Marcus, and J.Crew all announced they are [...]

US District Judge Steven Jones on Monday struck down Georgia’s latest anti-abortion law as unconstitutional. The Georgia General Assembly approved House Bill 481, also known as the Living Infant Fairness and Equality (LIFE) Act, in March 2019. HB 481 changed several aspects of already existing Georgia abortion law, including the definitions of “natural person” and [...]

The state of New Mexico filed suit Monday against the New Mexico Civil Guard (NMCG), claiming the militia group incited a shooting at a peaceful protest in June. The NMCG is not affiliated with the government, either through the military or the police. NMCG has purportedly threatened public safety numerous times. The complaint alleges that [...]

On June 26, a video clip narrating the incident of custodial death of a father and his son, by the Sattankluam police authority, went viral in India across social media. Ironically, the same day was also United Nations International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, which is when we remember and assert our conscience [...]

On May 11th, 2020, the Supreme Court of India rejected the petition filed by the Private Schools Association of Jammu and Kashmir which demanded the restoration of 4G Internet services as the students in the valley are unable to access the online learning classes being held as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown. The judgment [...]

Where are the law and the lawyer? Where is this profession going? I’m a rising 3L. I have one more year left of law school. And yet I am witnessing something that is both completely unexpected and a story that has been told over and over for ages. And I find myself completely conflicted about [...]