In a recent development that underlines the mounting tensions between Russia and the rest of the globe, the Russian Investigative Committee has initiated an investigation into US-based journalist, Masha Gessen. An announcement from the SHOT Telegram Channel stated that the investigation started last week, with the charges being that Gessen had purportedly ‘discredited’ the Russian…
In the ongoing legal fray around the powers of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), significant development has taken place recently. On August 28, the SEC filed a petition for writ of certiorari with the U.S. Supreme Court, seeking to overturn a previous decision by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit that…
In a notable development, a US federal judge has ruled that top attorneys from Southwest Airlines are due to undergo a “religious liberty” training. This decision comes despite efforts from the airline to delay the training pending an appeal process. Judge Brantley Starr, based in Dallas, released a 23-page order that brushed aside the airline’s…
On August 31, the provincial government of Punjab, Pakistan, was urged to take immediate legislative action for the effective outlawing of child domestic labor at a provincial policy dialogue. The call was made by representatives from the Search for Justice, Children Advocacy Network Pakistan, National Commission for Human Rights, and the Child Protection and Welfare…
US District Court Judge Ronnie Greer recently issued a temporary restraining order to prevent Ryan K. Desmond, District Attorney General of Blount County, Tennessee, from interfering with the Blount County Pride Festival under the state’s Adult Entertainment Act (AEA). This legislation bans public performances by male or female impersonators that cater to prurient interests. Desmond…
Georgia’s governing party, Georgian Dream, has commenced impeachment procedures against President Salome Zourabichvili, citing supposed constitutional violations as justification, as reported by Interpress News. These actions come following Zourabichvili’s decision to disregard warnings from the ruling party by seeking a meeting with the European Council president in Brussels to gain support for Georgia’s assimilation into…
In a pivotal case echoing other redistricting battles across the United States, Florida Circuit Judge J. Lee Marsh declared Florida’s most recent congressional map unconstitutional on grounds that it hampered Black voters’ ability to elect representatives of their choice. The judgement took place in the Circuit Court of the Second Judicial Circuit, in and for…
Armenian state news agency Armenpress reported last Friday that the country’s parliament will consider ratifying the Rome Statute. The Rome Statute, the treaty that formed the International Criminal Court (ICC), was signed by Armenia in October 1999, but it has yet to be ratified. In 2004, Armenia’s Constitutional Court ruled that the Rome Statute did…
Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall has contended in a recently filed motion that the state is capable of prosecuting individuals who aid others in obtaining abortion services outside the state. Further, he asked the court to dismiss a lawsuit initiated by an abortion assistance fund claiming that such prosecutions are unconstitutional. The lawsuit is scheduled…
Australia’s legal landscape is set for a significant change as Australians are expected to cast their vote on a pertinent issue – whether or not to alter the Australian Constitution. Announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, the referendum aims to recognize First Nations people by establishing an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voice in Parliament….
The Thai Royal Gazette announced that Maha Vajiralongkorn, the King of Thailand, has granted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra a royal pardon, commuting his eight-year prison sentence down to just one. This act of clemency, which can take the form of an unconditional release or reduction in punishment, is left solely to the king’s discretion….
A complaint was recently filed in the Carroll County, Arkansas, Circuit Court, alleging that the City of Holiday Island’s monopoly on solid waste removal and temporary waste projects violates the Arkansas Constitution. Steven Hedrick and X-Dumpsters, the plaintiffs of the case, argue that a particular ordinance adopted by the Holiday Island City Council is not…
In a significant development in constitutional law, the Sixth Circuit Court recently rejected a constitutional challenge claiming that the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) rule-making authority is overly broad and undermines the power of Congress. The case highlighted the controversial nondelegation doctrine, a concept frequently cited by conservative legal scholars as a method to…
Earlier this week, Judge Tanya Chutkan dismissed a group of potential amici in Donald Trump’s ongoing DC criminal case. Among the applicants was an entity claiming to be the “Galaxy Bar Association”, raising questions about their existence and intentions. The group does not appear to have an online presence, however, various recent court filings suggest…
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Tennessee recently shifted the landscape for minority-owned businesses aiming to qualify under the Small Business Administration’s (SBA’s) 8(a) Business Development Program. In a notable decision, the court found that a presumption of social disadvantage for certain minority groups – as employed by the United States Department…
In a recent turn of events, Bryan Clarence looks to Elliot Berke, enlisting him to represent in an ongoing ethical quagmire. This is seen as the first sign of Bryan Clarence Thomas taking his scandals seriously. This story was captured by Bloomberg Law News. Furthermore, the newest report from Cornell Law professor Michael Dorf analyzes…
The recent decision by the Fifth Circuit states that the federal government cannot outsource the temporary storage of nuclear waste. This verdict has resulted in a split among different circuit courts, attracting potential intervention from the U.S. Supreme Court. Furthermore, the scenario lends itself as yet another chance for the Supreme Court justices to elaborate…
In a crucial decision that safeguards free expression and strengthens the First Amendment rights, Judge David Hittner of the Southern District of Texas has enjoined a Texas law that sought to ban drag performances. The law, S.B. 12, has been deemed as potentially violating the constitutional safeguard for freedom of speech. The American Civil Liberties…
In a significant recent decision, New York State Human Rights Law’s (NYSHRL) source-of-income anti-discrimination statute has been ruled unconstitutional. The ruling, in the case of People v. Commons W., LLC, throws a spotlight on the difficult equilibrium between promoting equitable housing practices and protecting constitutional rights. The source-of-income discrimination statute was formulated to ensure that…
The Cooper Davis Act, an amendment proposed to the Controlled Substances Act in the United States, has been a controversial proposal stirring contentious conversations among differing stakeholders including parents, consumer safety advocates, and anti-drug coalitions, as well as the DEA, privacy experts, and constitutional scholars. A recent article details the ongoing disputes and disagreements. The…
In an important recent development, a federal court has issued an order imposing an injunction that postpones the compliance dates for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau’s (CFPB) final rule. This rule governs the collection of small business lending data under Section 1071 of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act (Dodd-Frank Act). This…
The Small Business Administration (SBA) has implemented significant changes to the 8(a) Program, as reported by JDSupra. These alterations, instigated by a court injunction, come in the wake of findings that deemed the rebuttable presumption for social disadvantage unconstitutional. Owing to the injunction – issued by a federal district court in Tennessee – all pending…
A number of Kenyan rights organizations have come together to voice their concerns over the recent remarks made by the President of Kenya regarding the ongoing legal battle over the ownership of Mumias Sugar Company. Four organizations – The Law Society of Kenya, Amnesty International Kenya, Kenya Human Rights Commission, and Humanity Activism Knowledge Integrity…
Justice Clarence Thomas embarked on three ventures in 2022 either partially or fully funded by Dallas billionaire Harlan Crow, as disclosed in a financial disclosure form made public recently. The form also noted that Thomas flew by private jet on at least two of these excursions, which Thomas attributed to his security detail’s suggestion, particularly…
Supreme Court Justice Amy Coney Barrett recently commented on the increased attention drawn by the highest court in the land during an event at a judicial conference for the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. According to reports by the Associated Press, Barrett reminisced on times during her clerkship at the Supreme…