US Army Sgt. Paul E. Cortez pleaded guilty on Tuesday to the rape and murder of a 14-year-old Iraqi girl and the murder of her family in the Mahmudiya (also "Mahmoudiya") area last March. Cortez reached a plea agreement with prosecutors last month, removing the death penalty as a possible sentence. As a part of [...]

The French Cour de Cassation appeals court ruled Tuesday that French law precluded a woman from legally adopting her lesbian partner's biological child, who was conceived through artificial insemination. The court held that such adoption was impermissible because when a child is adopted, its biological parent must give up their legal entitlement to the child. [...]

The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments Wednesday in Claiborne v. United States , a case that could impact sentencing guidelines across the country. Mario Claiborne was sentenced to 15 months in jail and three years probation for possessing and distributing cocaine. The federal sentencing guidelines suggest a 37 to 46-month jail sentence for the [...]

Jonathan Werve : "Global Integrity, an independent nonprofit group tracking corruption and governance trends worldwide, has followed with interest the recent appeal to eject allegedly corrupt Nigerian MPs from party lists. Our experience shows that political leadership in the legislature is key to improving all areas of governance. The 2006 Global Integrity Report, released last [...]

A Nigerian appeals court ruled on Tuesday that Vice President Atiku Abubakar could not legally be stripped of his office after his break with President Olusegun Obasanjo . The pair were elected in 1999 at the end of an oppressive military regime, but Abubakar was accused of corruption and forced from the party after refusing [...]

Boumediene v. Bush, US Court of Appeals for the DC Circuit, February 20, 2006 . Read the full text of the ruling . Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

Philip Morris USA v. Williams, US Supreme Court, February 20, 2007 . Read the court's opinion per Justice Breyer, along with a dissent from Justice Stevens, a second dissent from Justice Thomas and a final dissent from Justice Ginsburg. Reported in JURIST's Paper Chase here.

The Kansas House of Representatives on Tuesday gave preliminary approval to a bill making English the state's "official" language. The legislation passed 118-2, after it was amended to provide $500,000 to help adult immigrants learn English. It is expected to receive final approval on Wednesday and then move on to the state senate for consideration. [...]

A military court in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) has found thirteen soldiers guilty of murdering 30 civilians in the Ituri district . The thirteen were sentenced Monday to life in prison, according to UN sources. Witnesses said the soldiers abducted the civilians and forced them to perform labor; in November of last [...]

The prime ministers of Spain and Italy have pledged to support Germany in reviving the European Constitution . Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero and Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi , whose countries both ratified the Constitution, made the announcement Tuesday after an annual summit on the island of Ibiza. In 2005, the constitution [...]