Recent Updates
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Lawmakers push back against Washington high court
Legal Events 01/27/2014Washington state's highest court has exercised an unusual amount of power on education funding, and it's prompted some lawmakers to raise constitutional concerns. Before last year's legislative session, the court ruled that the state wasn't meeting i...
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High court rules against steelworkers' claim
National News 01/27/2014The Supreme Court says steelworkers do not have to be paid for time they spend putting on and taking off protective gear they wear on the job. The court was unanimous Monday in ruling in favor of United States Steel Corp. over workers' claims that th...
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Supreme Court debates 'straw purchasers' gun law
Headline Legal News 01/24/2014The Supreme Court on Wednesday debated whether a Virginia man who bought a gun for a relative in Pennsylvania can be considered an illegal straw purchaser when both men were legally eligible to purchase firearms. The justices heard an appeal from Bru...
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Court: Lawyers will be disbarred over child porn
Notable Attorneys 01/24/2014Lawyers convicted of child pornography charges will automatically be disbarred and prohibited from practicing law in California, the state Supreme Court ruled Thursday. Deciding the fate of an Orange County lawyer whose license was suspended after he...
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Texas Supreme Court limits insurance exclusions
Legal Events 01/20/2014The Texas Supreme Court issued a key ruling Friday that should boost consumer confidence in the liability insurance coverage that builders and general contractors carry. Writing for the court, Justice Phil Johnson denied an insurance company's attemp...
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Court: Bloggers have First Amendment protections
National News 01/20/2014A federal appeals court ruled Friday that bloggers and the public have the same First Amendment protections as journalists when sued for defamation: If the issue is of public concern, plaintiffs have to prove negligence to win damages. The 9th U.S. C...
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Court: Feds can target California pot clinics
National News 01/16/2014An appeals court Wednesday affirmed the federal government's long-standing policy that California medical marijuana dispensaries have no protection under state law from drug prosecutions. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Wednesday that thr...
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High court rejects Ohio killer's last-minute plea
Headline Legal News 01/16/2014The state made preparations on Wednesday to use a never-tried lethal drug combination to put a man to death for the slaying of a pregnant woman that went unsolved until he inadvertently helped authorities, and the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block ...
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Court upholds approval of BP oil spill settlement
Recent Cases 01/13/2014Over BP's objections, a federal appeals court on Friday upheld a judge's approval of the company's multibillion-dollar settlement with lawyers for businesses and residents who claim the massive 2010 oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico cost them money. BP...
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Chile's top court rules against coal-fired complex
National News 01/13/2014Chile's Supreme Court sided with local fishermen who contend a coal-fired power complex harms ocean life and pollutes their community, but the judges stopped short of ordering a suspension and left it to environmental authorities to decide if operati...
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Court suspends ban on a show by French comic
Headline Legal News 01/10/2014A French court has suspended a ban the city of Nantes imposed to prevent a show on Thursday night by a comic whose performances are considered anti-Semitic. But Interior Minister Manuel Valls said he would appeal the ruling to the Council of State, F...
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Court: Lawmakers must expedite education funding
National News 01/10/2014The Washington Supreme Court on Thursday ordered lawmakers to submit a complete plan by the end of April to detail how the state will fully pay for basic education. The 8-1 ruling said that while the state made progress in last year's budget to incre...