Key takeaways: The Supreme Court’s ethical conduct has come under increased scrutiny in recent months. The court has formed a committee to craft new ethics…
Posts tagged as “the Supreme Court”
Republican donor Harlan Crow has refused to provide information to Senate Judiciary Democrats about his relationship with Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, arguing that doing so would exceed Congress' authority and violate separation of powers principles. The request was made in response to questions about gifts Crow has given to Thomas that have not been disclosed, raising concerns about potential influence on Thomas' decisions. Crow's refusal is likely to fuel the controversy surrounding their relationship, with it yet to be seen if the committee will take any further action.
Transgender activists in Pakistan are challenging a ruling from the Federal Shariat Court that struck down several provisions of the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) Act, a landmark law passed in 2018 to secure the fundamental rights of transgender Pakistanis. Human rights groups have condemned the ruling and called on the government to take action to protect transgender rights. Activists are now appealing to the Supreme Court of Pakistan in the hopes of overturning the ruling and restoring the protections of the Act.
The Supreme Court ruled 7-2 in favor of photographer Lynn Goldsmith in her dispute with the Andy Warhol Foundation over the late artist's use of her 1981 photo of Prince as the basis for a silkscreen image. The ruling clarifies the issue of fair use in copyright law, and is beneficial to people who own copyrighted content upon which other works are based. It serves as a reminder to other creators that they must be mindful of copyright law when creating works based on existing material.
The Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Twitter in a case concerning allegations that YouTube was liable for suggesting videos promoting violent militant Islam. The court declined to address the application of the law, Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, to the family's claims, and unanimously ruled that such claims could not be brought under the Anti-Terrorism Act. This decision is a victory for internet companies, who have said that Section 230 has helped the internet flourish, and serves as a reminder of the importance of the law in protecting internet companies from liability for user-generated content.
Former President Barack Obama has weighed in on the issue of gun ownership in America, calling it an "ideological" and "partisan" issue. The Supreme Court has declined to block a new law in Illinois that bans assault-style weapons, and a federal judge has blocked a similar law in Illinois. Obama has urged Congress to pass "common-sense gun safety laws" and called on Americans to come together to find common ground on the issue of gun violence.
A three-judge panel of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in New Orleans will hear arguments Wednesday in a case that could decide the future availability of the abortion pill mifepristone. Attorneys for the FDA and the drug's manufacturer will attempt to convince the panel not to roll back accessibility to the drug, which has been used by millions of women in the U.S. and around the world. The outcome of the case could have a major impact on the availability of the drug and could affect the lives of millions of women.
The Supreme Court has rejected Alabama's bid to execute death row inmate Kenneth Smith by lethal injection, leaving in place a lower court ruling that his preference for lethal gas is a viable alternative method. This marks the first time an inmate has been allowed to choose an execution method other than lethal injection, as the state has authorized nitrogen hypoxia as an alternative. The 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled for Smith in November, allowing him to choose nitrogen hypoxia as an alternative to lethal injection.