The US Supreme Court on Monday ruled 6-3 in Skinner v. Switzer that a convicted prisoner seeking access to biological evidence for DNA testing may assert a civil rights claim under Section 1983 . Texas death row inmate Henry Skinner filed a § 1983 claim seeking access to DNA evidence that he believes will prove [...]
A French court on Monday began the trial of former president Jacques Chirac but immediately suspended proceedings. The trial was suspended in light of claims made by co-defendant Remy Chardon, Chirac’s former chief of staff, that a decision by the prosecution to dismiss the statute of limitations in the case against Chardon violates the French [...]
The US Supreme Court on Monday granted certiorari in Golan v. Holder to determine the copyright status of foreign works that used to be in the public domain. Section 514 of the Uruguay Round Agreements Act of 1994 (URAA) restored copyright protection to thousands of foreign works that had previously been in the public domain. [...]
The US Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit on Friday ruled that barring convicted felons from possessing firearms does not infringe upon their constitutional rights. Attorneys for James Barton, previously convicted on drug and weapons charges, argued that his 2007 arrest on two counts of being a felon in possession of a firearm under [...]
The Utah House and Senate on Friday approved a new Arizona-style immigration law. The Utah Illegal Immigration Enforcement Act replaces the older version of the law that had lost favor with state Senate members in the last few weeks. The new law omits the controversial language that critics had accused of being too similar to [...]
The Washington House of Representatives on Friday voted 58-39 to approve a bill recognizing out-of-state same-sex marriages as legal domestic partnerships. House Bill 1649 amends current law that recognizes out-of-state domestic partnerships and civil unions, but excludes same-sex marriage . The vote took place on Friday evening, leaving several representatives displeased that the debate would [...]
The Constitutional Court of Benin on Friday approved a second postponement of presidential elections following complaints that over one million people were not registered to vote. The court delayed the date of the presidential election from March 6 to March 13, holding that the electoral commission would not otherwise have enough time to implement measures [...]
House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) on Friday announced that he is launching a legal advisory group to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) . “The constitutionality of this law should be determined by the courts, not by the president unilaterally, and this action by the House will ensure the matter is addressed in a [...]
Federal prosecutors on Friday filed a 49-count indictment against Jared Lee Loughner, the suspect in the recent Tucson, Arizona shooting. The new indictment carries more severe charges than the original indictment filed in January, accounting for all victims of the attack and carrying more serious penalties. The previous indictment received criticism because some people felt [...]
French Prime Minister Francois Fillon confirmed in the Official Journal Thursday that the controversial law banning the burqa and other face coverings in public places takes force April 11. Violators wearing a face covering may be fined up to 150 euros and/or required to attend citizenship classes. In contrast, anyone convicted of forcing a woman [...]
