The American Civil Liberties Union (A.C.L.U.) is at a significant transition point as its Legal Director, David Cole, steps down after eight years of influential service. Cole, who has been a leader in cases challenging the Trump administration’s policies such as the Muslim ban and advocating for LGBTQ rights and free speech, is returning to…
Early signs indicate that employers facing hiring bias lawsuits over the use of artificial intelligence (AI)-based tools are finding ways to share liability with the vendors who create the technology. Traditionally, tech developers have managed to avoid legal entanglements when job applicants claim that human resources tools cause algorithmic discrimination, thus violating civil rights laws…
The US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit has sent back to the district court an application by Emilee Carpenter, a religious wedding photographer, seeking an exemption to the New York Human Rights Law under the First Amendment. Carpenter aims to deny photographing same-sex marriages based on her belief that marriage should be between…
In a significant ruling last Friday, a federal judge in Louisiana declared that the Baton Rouge Police Department (BRPD) practice of strip-searching individuals who had not been arrested was “unconstitutional on its face.” The judge emphasized that probable cause, rather than reasonable suspicion, is required for such searches according to established Supreme Court precedent. The…
Legal News The U.S. Department of Education has terminated its investigation into allegations of “rampant anti-Semitism” at the University of Pennsylvania, according to a lawsuit initiated by Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison. Filed on behalf of Jewish American civil rights groups, the lawsuit seeks to reinstate the probe, which the plaintiffs argue was unlawfully…
More than six years after the resignation of former Ninth Circuit judge Alex Kozinski over sexual misconduct, serious systemic issues persist within the federal judiciary. This week, now-former Alaska federal judge Joshua Kindred resigned after an investigation into multiple allegations of sexual harassment within his chambers. The Ninth Circuit Judicial Council documented these allegations in…
The United States Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights has announced a resolution agreement with Brown University aimed at addressing civil rights compliance issues stemming from alleged harassment of students with Jewish, Palestinian, Arab, and/or Muslim ancestry. This action is grounded in adherence to Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. As…
New York University (NYU) has reached a settlement in a federal antisemitism lawsuit brought by Jewish students, as announced in a joint statement issued on Tuesday. NYU juniors Bella Ingber, Sabrina Maslavi, and Saul Tawil filed the lawsuit on November 14 in Manhattan federal court, accusing the university of fostering an environment of antisemitism and…
Article Nancy Maldonado, a former labor and civil rights attorney, has been confirmed as the first Hispanic member of the federal appeals court based in Chicago. The Senate, led by Democrats, confirmed her appointment with a 47 to 43 vote on Monday. Maldonado previously served as the first Latina judge on the Northern District of…
In an effort to mitigate potential security risks during upcoming religious processions, the Punjab government in Pakistan has proposed a comprehensive ban on social media platforms for a duration of six days. The recommendation, detailed in a notice by the Ministry of Interior, coincides with the annual Ashura processions, which will take place from July…
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has unanimously decided to permit seven states to intervene in the ongoing genocide case brought by The Gambia against Myanmar. The granted states include Maldives, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK, which now have the right to participate in the proceedings. This decision was based on…
A recent federal appeals court ruling against Facebook’s parent company, Meta Platforms Inc., may significantly impact the legal landscape surrounding employment discrimination. The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has decided that US citizens have standing to file bias claims under Section 1981 of the 1866 Civil Rights Act, originally designed to address…
A coalition of Louisiana parents and civil rights organizations has filed a federal lawsuit challenging House Bill 71, a new state law mandating the display of the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms. The plaintiffs argue that the law infringes upon the First Amendment by imposing religious beliefs on students. This claim is backed…
On Monday, July 1, the United States Supreme Court will release opinions in one or more argued cases from the current term. The process will be covered live through a blog session, offering legal professionals real-time access to the Court’s critical decisions. The session on July 1 is particularly notable given the range of significant…
Jonas Caballero’s remarkable journey from incarceration to law school is a profound testament to human resilience and the transformative power of education. Formerly imprisoned and battling addiction, Caballero is now a prominent figure at Albany Law School, focusing his efforts on civil rights and advocacy for the formerly incarcerated. Caballero’s story is an intricate tapestry…
Attorneys from Simpson Thacher & Bartlett, along with the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and other advocacy groups, have filed a federal lawsuit aimed at blocking a new Louisiana state law that mandates the display of the Ten Commandments in all public school classrooms. The lawsuit, representing nine multi-faith families in Louisiana, contends that the…
Brown v. Board of Education is often regarded as one of the most pivotal decisions in the history of the United States Supreme Court. Handed down in 1954, the ruling declared that segregated education was inherently unequal, thereby overturning the ‘separate but equal’ doctrine established by Plessy v. Ferguson in 1896. The decision sought to…
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) of Texas, along with the ACLU at the national level, has submitted a petition to the US Supreme Court to overturn the convictions of three Gainesville, Texas residents. These individuals were found guilty of alleged “obstruction of a highway or other passageway” following their involvement in a protest aimed…
In a significant move acknowledging historical injustices, President Joe Biden has pardoned veterans who were expelled from the military due to their sexual orientation or gender identity under now-repealed discriminatory laws. This proclamation, issued on Wednesday, offers clemency to individuals who were court-martialed between 1951 and 2013 for their status within the LGBTQI+ community. The…
A newly slated case for review by the US Supreme Court could redefine employers’ benefits obligations to former employees with disabilities, depending on the outcome of the lawsuit filed by a former Florida firefighter. The case involves Karyn Stanley, who retired early from her firefighting job in Sanford, Florida, due to Parkinson’s disease. She is…
The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) unanimously found that Russia was guilty of a pattern of human rights violations in Crimea since its annexation in 2014. The ruling in the case of Ukraine v. Russia (re Crimea) determined that these violations included ill-treatment, intimidation, disappearances, forced Russian citizenship, and suppression of Ukrainian media and…
In the ongoing legal debates surrounding Title IX, several state Attorneys General continue to dispute the inclusion of gender identity in the interpretation of the law. As the Biden administration moves closer to finalizing its new Title IX rule, tensions rise between those who advocate for broader protections for gender-diverse students and those who argue…
Lina Hidalgo, the county judge of Harris County, Texas, known for her presence in Democratic politics and currently engaged to civil rights attorney David James, recently posted about her bridal shower on Instagram. Her colorful tea party-themed celebration was met with various comments, but one in particular caught attention: a remark from Houston Mayor John…
Imagine if accountants were publicly criticized for utilizing basic principles of bookkeeping and balance sheets, and if their firms were sued for employing these vital financial tools. Such a situation, though seemingly absurd, mirrors the reality faced by diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) professionals today. The politicization and subsequent vilification of DEI have transformed the…
In a significant legal move, Israel’s Supreme Court has issued an order demanding the government provide an update by June 30 on the conditions at Sde Teiman detention facility. This facility, located in the Israeli desert near Be’er Sheva, has been the subject of various human rights allegations due to its treatment of Palestinian detainees…