A group of Massachusetts plaintiffs who are or have been married under the state's same-sex marriage law filed a lawsuit against the US federal government Tuesday in the US District Court for the District of Massachusetts , challenging the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) . The plaintiffs in the suit, which was filed against [...]
Former Bosnian Serb leader and war crimes suspect Radovan Karadzic refused to enter pleas on Tuesday to 11 amended charges including genocide and crimes against humanity in a hearing before the International Criminal Tribunal for the former Yugoslavia (ICTY) . Last month, the ICTY granted in part the prosecution's motion to amend the indictment against [...]
The US Supreme Court heard oral arguments in two cases on Tuesday. In Caperton v. A.T. Massey Coal Company the Court heard arguments on whether they should adopt a constitutional standard for requiring state judges to recuse themselves in cases where there is an "appearance of bias." The case is on appeal from a case [...]
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) on Monday released two memoranda and seven opinions authored by the White House Office of Legal Counsel (OLC) during the presidency of George W. Bush , supporting the administration's counter-terrorism policies. The opinions, dated between 2001 and 2003, supported the president's broad use of executive authority to detain and hold foreign [...]
The US Department of Justice (DOJ) acknowledged Monday that the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) has destroyed 92 videotapes of terrorism suspect interrogations . The acknowledgment came in response to an August 2008 judicial order that the CIA turn over information regarding the tapes or provide specific justifications on why it could not release the information. [...]
The International Criminal Court (ICC) should take steps to improve the enforcement of international justice, according to a report issued Tuesday by Aegis Trust , an advocacy group dedicated to eliminating genocide. The report, entitled "The Enforcement of Criminal Law," proposes reforms that would improve enforcement, including: pooled financing, specialist units, a new treaty on [...]
Defense lawyers for former Khmer Rouge foreign minister Ieng Sary , on trial for crimes against humanity , have been ordered to remove documents relating to their case from a website within 48 hours or face sanctions. Judges from the Extraordinary Chambers in the Court of Cambodia (ECCC) have ordered the lawyers to remove nine [...]
The UN on Monday appointed five new judges to serve on the UN Dispute Tribunal, and seven new judges, including one American, to the UN Appeals Tribunal. The tribunals were authorized in 2007, pursuant to UN General Assembly resolution 62/228 , and the appeals tribunal is charged with appellate review of grievance and discipline disputes [...]
Chinese courts have begun accepting lawsuits against dairy companies in the contaminated milk scandal , a court official announced Monday, departing from their previous policy. Shen Deyong, executive vice president of the Supreme People's Court , China's highest court, made the announcement the day after the Chinese government announced it had finished compensating the families [...]
More than 100 Serbian judges, prosecutors, and legal professionals prevented the opening of the first EU-backed trial in Kosovo by protesting in front of the Mitrovica court house Monday. A panel of three judges had been set to preside over a criminal case involving two Serbian defendants. As Serbia and Kosovo's Serbian population have refused [...]
