Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers recently vetoed a bill that would have required schools to arrange sports by the sex assigned at birth, an action viewed by Evers and many in the LGBTQ+ community as directly aimed at transgender student-athletes. The legislation was largely supported by the state’s Republican lawmakers. In his signed veto message, Evers…
The legal contest over the requirement of dates on mail-in ballots in Pennsylvania has seen significant development, as reported by a commentator in JURIST – News. A federal appeals court panel determined that this requirement did not infringe upon the Civil Rights Act’s Materiality Provision, thereby overturning a previous ruling by a lower court. Of…
The Thai House of Representatives has given its approval to an equal marriage bill, heralding a landmark step towards legalizing same-sex marriage. With the bill receiving an overwhelming 400 votes out of 415 in the House, it now awaits further endorsement from the Thai Senate and the king. Should this legislation garner their approval, Thailand…
In the wake of Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard ruling, every program incorporating elements of racial equity has been perceived as subject to the 14th Amendment violation. The trend was recently observed in Illinois where a policy promotes diversity through “oral-argument affirmative action” found itself under scrutiny. The policy, which was rescinded by…
Nutchanart Boonkhong, a civil rights activist and founder of Baan Kru Naam Foundation, has expressed serious concerns about the fate of 19 stateless children from Myanmar in an exclusive interview with Reuters. Seized from an affiliate of her foundation in LopBuri, Thailand, by the government on March 12, Boonkhong fears these children may be deported…
A significant legal development materialized last week when a California federal judge chose against dismissing the lawsuit enacted by U.S Representatives Matt Gaetz and Marjorie Taylor-Greene against the cities of Anaheim and Riverside, California. Gaetz and Greene, both Republicans, have asserted that their First Amendment rights were breached when their scheduled political rally was called…
The Ninth Circuit has recently confirmed the dismissal of civil rights claims brought against the City of Long Beach, California. The suit, filed by a man engaged in a custody battle over his daughter, who resides with her mother in Georgia, was turned down primarily on the grounds that his counsel referred to what the…
Joshua Hartfield, the last of the six members of the Mississippi law enforcement group known as the “Goon Squad,” has been sentenced to just over ten years in prison for his part in the January 2023 torture of two Black men, Michael Corey Jenkins and Eddie Terrell Parker. All six officers were fired and pleaded…
The third member of a Mississippi deputy group, self-dubbed as the “Goon Squad,” was sentenced to federal prison this Wednesday. Daniel Opdyke was given 17.5 years due to his role in the torture of two Black men. This disturbing incident took place in January 2023, when six law enforcement officers who were a part of…
On Wednesday, the Supreme Court heard oral arguments concerning a Texas city council member alleging retaliatory arrest due to her criticism of the city’s manager. The complex case, spanning almost 90 minutes, saw the justices deliberating what evidence plaintiffs need to showcase for their cases to advance. The council member in question, Sylvia Gonzalez, was…
The U.S. Supreme Court is scheduled to hear oral arguments in two key cases today, one concerning Gonzalez v. Trevino, and the other, Texas v. New Mexico and Colorado, according to a recent report from SCOTUSblog. In the case, Gonzalez v. Trevino, varying details are being examined. Similarly, in the case of Texas v. New…
On March 19, 2024, an updated guidance was issued by the US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) aiming to clarify the implementation of online tracking technologies by health-care providers, so as to avoid violating federal patient-privacy protections. This move comes in the wake of a lawsuit filed by hospital groups against the agency,…
The U.S Supreme Court has commenced proceedings for the case of Sylvia Gonzalez, a 76-year-old woman from Texas who had previously faced charges for allegedly breaching a state law. The law in question prohibits tampering with government records. Although the charges were eventually dropped, Gonzalez proceeded to voice a federal civil rights claim against three…
Amnesty International (AI) reported earlier this week that the residents of Crimea have undergone ten years of persistent oppression in the aftermath of the 2014 annexation by Russia. The annexation is marked by severe violations of human rights and international law. The organization has highlighted that post-annexation, Russia has oppressed Crimea’s non-Russian residents, particularly Ukrainians…
Noted anti-vaxxer RFK Jr, following an unsuccessful attempt to secure the Democratic Party nomination, has launched a third-party bid. His campaign has focused on an interesting demographic – those who trust the science on global warming but reject the science regarding vaccines causing autism. Despite the controversial nature of his candidacy, his campaign has seen…
The question of whether the UnitedHealth Group, one of the most powerful players in the nation’s healthcare sector, should be broken up has come under scrutiny. Understanding the context requires a look at the company’s diversified portfolio: not only is it the largest health insurance provider in the country, it also employs or contracts with…
Thorough discourse about the spread of falsehoods surrounding elections via social media platforms has piqued legal professionals’ interests across the globe and in our top corporations and law firms. Marc Epstein, of the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights Under Law, opines that the Supreme Court should uphold the government’s ability to join forces with third…
In a historic ruling last Friday, a federal judge mandated the appointment of a special master to oversee the operations at a notorious federal women’s prison in California. This decision marks the first instance where the federal Bureau of Prisons (BOP) has been subjected to this level of supervision. The prison in question, the Federal…
Courthouse News Service has initiated a civil rights lawsuit against the Superior Court of the District of Columbia, asserting that the court’s policies of delaying access to electronically-filed civil complaints infringes upon the media company’s First Amendment rights. In an alarming development flagged first by Law.com Radar, a platform for immediate alerts on just-filed cases…
Davis Polk & Wardwell and financial adviser FTI Consulting have been employed to help electric vehicle startup Fisker as it contemplates a potential bankruptcy filing. Fisker, like various other EV companies, has been affected significantly by the sluggish demand for electric vehicles. Just last month, Fisker reported that it was over $1 billion in debt….
The legal community has been abuzz following the recent election of Hervé Ékué as the new managing partner at Allen & Overy. This esteemed Magic Circle law firm, along with fellow members Linklaters, Clifford Chance, Freshfields, and Slaughter and May, has traditionally been dominated by white men. The appointment of Ékué, the first Black leader…
Esther Lander, a veteran of the Department of Justice, has joined the prestigious law firm Orrick, headquartered in Washington D.C., according to an announcement made by the firm on Wednesday. Prior to her move to Orrick, Lander was a part of Akin and held the role of principal deputy chief of the Employment Litigation Section…
After two years of litigation, Florida education officials and civil rights attorneys have finally reached a settlement over the state’s Parental Rights in Education Act, more commonly known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ law. The agreement, which followed an appeal to the US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, opens the door for teachers…
The StandWithUs Center for Legal Justice (SCLJ) and two Jewish students have filed a federal lawsuit against the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), alleging the institution violated their rights under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act. The lawsuit, filed in the Massachusetts District Court, accuses MIT of fostering an environment ripe with antisemitism. The…
Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) programs are facing a variety of challenges, including threatening letters and lawsuits. However, C-suite executives are largely committed to these initiatives, despite the backlash. According to Democracy Forward, many of these anti-equity lawsuits are getting dismissed or settled while maintaining inclusive considerations in their hiring process. Anti-equity actors attempt to…