Recent Updates
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Chief justice unsettled by Obama's criticism of Supreme Court
Legal News Feed 03/10/2010U.S. Chief Justice John Roberts said Tuesday the scene at President Barack Obama's first State of the Union address was "very troubling" and that the annual speech to Congress has "degenerated into a political pep rally."Responding to a University of...
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Court will decide if NASA checks can continue
Legal News Feed 03/08/2010The Supreme Court on Monday agreed to referee a dispute between NASA and some of its independent contractors over required security checks, a decision that could affect how the federal government investigates the background of current and future empl...
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Obama nominates Berkeley prof to appeals court
Legal News Feed 02/25/2010A UC Berkeley constitutional law professor and civil rights advocate was nominated Wednesday by President Obama to the Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.Goodwin Liu, 39, the son of Taiwanese immigrants, learned English in kindergar...
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Calif court wants proof on confining sex predators
Legal News Feed 01/28/2010The California Supreme Court on Thursday questioned the constitutionality of a provision of "Jessica's Law" that lets authorities indefinitely confine sexually violent predators. It's the first of two decisions the court is expected to issue in the c...
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Supreme Court Voids Campaign Spending Curbs
Legal News Feed 01/22/2010A divided U.S. Supreme Court struck down decades-old restrictions on corporate campaign spending, reversing two of its precedents and freeing companies to conduct advertising campaigns that explicitly try to sway voters. The 5-4 majority, invoking th...
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Supreme Court bars broadcast of Prop 8 trial in California
Legal News Feed 01/14/2010The Supreme Court split along ideological lines Wednesday as it barred a federal judge in San Francisco from broadcasting a high-profile trial involving same-sex marriage. The court issued an unsigned opinion that said lower courts had not followed p...
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Ohio governor says he regrets slot machine plan
Legal News Feed 12/22/2009A feisty, yet reflective Gov. Ted Strickland said Monday that his biggest mistake in 2009 was deciding to rely on revenue from racetrack slot machines that were later sidelined by the Ohio Supreme Court.It was one of the most controversial decisions ...
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US court blocks huge gold mine project in Nevada
Legal News Feed 12/07/2009blocked construction of a massive gold mine project in northeast Nevada that critics say would harm the environment and ruin a mountain several tribes consider sacred.A three-judge panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed part of an ea...
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Ariz. gov, lawmakers slam cities on budget lawsuit
Legal News Feed 11/25/2009Arizona Gov. Jan Brewer and top Republican legislators blasted Arizona municipalities for going to court to challenge the constitutionality of parts of a budget law, including provisions that deny government services and benefits to illegal immigrant...
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Senate confirms controversial judge
Legal News Feed 11/20/2009The Senate on Thursday confirmed U.S. District Judge David Hamilton for the Chicago-based federal appeals court, approving a nominee targeted by conservatives as a liberal activist.Hamilton was approved on a 59-39 vote and became the eighth of Presid...
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Controversial court nominee survives Senate test
Legal News Feed 11/18/2009Democrats on Tuesday crushed a Senate filibuster against a controversial appeals court nominee, demonstrating to Republicans they can't stop President Barack Obama from turning the federal judiciary to the left.The 70-29 vote limited debate over the ...
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Senate tips Richmond appeals court to Democrats
Legal News Feed 11/10/2009The Senate gave President Barack Obama a major victory Monday in his efforts to remake the federal courts, confirming a judge who will tip the political balance on the once-conservative appeals court based in Richmond.The 72-16 vote for U.S. District...