Justice
Judge limits Biden administration contact with social media platforms in censorship case
A federal judge on Tuesday prohibited Biden administration officials from communicating with social media platforms about “protected speech,” a ruling emerging from litigation originally filed by former Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt. The ruling, by Judge Terry A. Doughty of the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Louisiana, granted a temporary injunction barring […]
Colorado designer does not have to make websites for same-sex couples, Supreme Court rules
This story was updated Friday afternoon. Colorado cannot compel a website designer to create custom sites for same-sex couples, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in an opinion released Friday. The 6-3 ruling, written by Justice Neil Gorsuch, came in?303 Creative v. Elenis. Plaintiff Lorie Smith argued the Colorado Anti-Discrimination Act, which prohibits discrimination based on […]
Awaiting Supreme Court hearing, ‘random’ change of venue law on hold, putting other cases on hold
A new law allowing some court cases to be randomly moved across the state is on hold as the Kentucky Supreme Court plans to hear arguments about its constitutionality. The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Senate Bill 126 on Aug. 16, after Franklin Circuit Court Judge Phillip Shepherd in April requested the state’s highest […]
Challenge to Kentucky’s abortion ban dismissed as advocates seek a patient to press case
LOUISVILLE — A judge has dismissed a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of two Kentucky laws that together ban nearly all abortions, a week after the state’s two licensed abortion providers signaled they planned to drop the case — for now. Jefferson Circuit Judge Mitch Perry on Tuesday signed an order the parties submitted agreeing to […]
NC Republicans lose US Supreme Court case on legislatures’ power over federal elections
The U.S. Supreme Court rejected North Carolina Republican legislators’ argument that the state courts cannot review laws legislatures pass governing federal elections. Republican legislators claimed the Elections Clause in the U.S. Constitution makes legislatures the sole state authorities on federal elections law,? including congressional redistricting. Critics said the high court’s endorsement of the independent state […]
Disparities persist among Kentucky youth in juvenile justice system
Black and multiracial youth in Kentucky are more likely to have complaints brought against them – essentially, police reports – and are disproportionately detained, Kentucky Youth Advocates staff told legislators in Frankfort Tuesday.? Cortney Downs, the chief equity officer for Kentucky Youth Advocates, said to the Juvenile Justice Oversight Council and the Commission on Race […]
Opioid settlement payouts to localities made public for the first time
Thousands of local governments nationwide are receiving settlement money from companies that made, sold, or distributed opioid painkillers, like Johnson & Johnson, AmerisourceBergen, and Walmart. The companies are shelling out more than $50 billion total in settlements from national lawsuits. But finding out the precise amount each city or county is receiving has been nearly […]
Kentucky’s juvenile detention system still struggling with ‘critical staffing issues’
FRANKFORT — Despite salary increases, persistent understaffing is forcing a shuffling of Kentucky juveniles being held in detention. The Kentucky Department of Juvenile Justice plans to move girls from a detention center in Campbell County to one in Boyd County for an estimated 90 days in response to staffing difficulties.? The boys being held in […]
Kentucky Supreme Court rules on two former commonwealth’s attorneys’ right to practice law
The Kentucky Supreme Court on Thursday suspended the law license of a former prosecutor while reinstating another’s. Ronnie L. Goldy, convicted in an impeachment hearing in March, may return to practicing law under a 5-2 ruling.? In the case of Richard “Rick” Boling, who resigned as Christian County commonwealth’s attorney in February, the Supreme Court […]
U.S. Supreme Court upholds Indian Child Welfare Act in 7-2 decision
The U.S. Supreme Court on Thursday rejected a challenge to a federal law aimed at keeping Native American children within the foster care system in Native American homes. The Supreme Court in a 7-2 decision upheld the 1978 Indian Child Welfare Act, which established federal minimum standards for the removal of Native American children from […]
Louisville psychiatric facility settles with estate of child who died there after alleged abuse
Uspiritus-Brooklawn and the estate of 7-year-old Ja’Ceon Terry reached a private settlement in a wrongful death lawsuit, just days after the judge ruled that a former employee could override her confidentiality agreement and testify about mistreatment she said she witnessed while working there. Terry was taken into state custody in 2021 and later admitted to […]
Ruling in Alabama case could boost suits increasing Black voters’ power in other states
In one sense, the Supreme Court’s surprise ruling striking down Alabama’s 2022 congressional maps maintains the legal status quo. By 5-4, the justices rejected the state’s attempt?to restrict the ability of the Voting Rights Act to block gerrymanders that suppress the power of minority voters. But that dramatically understates the impact of the case, titled […]