The Wisconsin Supreme Court has ruled in a 4-3 decision along ideological lines that the state's heavily gerrymandered legislative maps are unconstitutional and must be redrawn ahead of the 2024 elections. This is the first major case to be heard and decided by the court's new liberal majority, and could be appealed to the U.S. Supreme Court.
Posts tagged as “The U.S. Supreme Court”
Key takeaways: The Colorado Supreme Court ruled that former President Donald Trump is ineligible to appear on Colorado’s primary ballot next year. The ruling is…
The Colorado Supreme Court issued a 4-3 ruling on Tuesday evening disqualifying former President Donald Trump from appearing on the state's GOP primary ballot in 2024. The ruling affirmed a lower court ruling that Trump had engaged in insurrection on January 6, and rejected two other legal arguments raised by Trump attorneys. This is the first such ruling in the country, and will likely be the first of many legal battles over the issue of whether Trump’s attempt to overturn the 2020 election disqualifies him from office under the Constitution.
Texas Governor Greg Abbott has signed into law SB4, a sweeping new immigration bill that gives state law enforcement the power to arrest and seek the deportation of migrants suspected of crossing the border illegally. The bill has been met with strong opposition from civil rights groups, and is likely to face legal challenges in the coming months. Attorney General Ken Paxton has defended the bill, saying it is necessary to protect Texans from “dangerous criminals” and does not authorize racial profiling.
The U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on Wednesday in the case of SEC v. Jarkesy, which could have sweeping consequences for the power of federal agencies to enforce the law. The case centers around the Securities and Exchange Commission's (SEC) ability to take enforcement actions outside of the court system. During the oral arguments, the justices questioned the government lawyer about stripping the SEC of some of its enforcement discretion. The outcome of the case could have a major impact on the power of federal agencies to enforce the law, and a ruling is expected in the coming months.
Christopher Lee McWhorter was executed Thursday in Alabama for his role in the 1993 robbery and shooting death of Edward Lee Williams. His execution was the first in the state since 2019 and the ninth since then, despite his attorneys' efforts to have it stayed due to his mental competency. McWhorter's execution is the latest in a series of executions of inmates convicted of capital murder in Alabama, making it the state with the most executions since 2019.
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected Florida's bid to enforce a law that would have prohibited children from attending drag shows, keeping in place a lower court ruling as a legal challenge continues. The law was challenged by a restaurant in Orlando known as Hamburger Mary's, arguing that it was unconstitutional and imposed unlawful restrictions on free speech. Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Neil Gorsuch said they would have granted Florida's bid, while Justice Brett Kavanaugh and Justice Amy Coney Barrett said the court's decision does not speak to their views on the merits of the case.
Brent Ray Brewer was executed by lethal injection in Texas on Thursday evening, Nov. 9, 2023, after the U.S. Supreme Court declined to intervene in his case. Brewer had been convicted of fatally stabbing Robert Laminack during a robbery 33 years prior, and his attorneys argued that the false and unscientific expert testimony used to sentence him to death was unconstitutional. His execution has sparked debate among those who oppose the death penalty.