An inmate on death row asked the state of Texas if his pastor could touch him and audibly pray for him during his execution by legal injection, but his request was denied. He chose to sue. The case went to the U.S. Supreme Court, who decided in Ramirez v. Collier on March 24 of this year that the inmate would likely prevail […]
SCOTUS Rules Pastor Can Pray and Touch Inmate During Execution in Texas
Fourth Circuit Rules in Favor of Abortion Providers Suing South Carolina AG for “Fetal Heartbeat” Act—But State Asks for Rehearing En Banc
Over the past year, various Republican-led states have steadily curtailed abortion rights. Arkansas, Idaho, South Carolina, Texas, and Wyoming have all introduced new restrictions that would ban most abortions. “Fetal Heartbeat” Act Gets Injunction for Being Unconstitutional In the case of South Carolina, the Fetal Heartbeat and Protection from Abortion Act bans abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected. This typically happens approximately six […]
Is A Painting Based On A Photo Of Prince Fair Use Or Copyright Infringement? SCOTUS Will Decide
It is easier than ever to take a photo of someone and make a painting based on it. The painting may reflect the artist’s unique personal style. It may have taken a lot of effort to make sure the painting accurately represents the content of the original photo. But can the painter get a copyright on their painting, with all […]
Federal Court Finds Trump Most Likely Committed a Felony Following 2020 Election
In the never-ending wake of the contested presidential election of 2020, the House Select Committee investigating the January 6th attack on the capitol subpoenaed self-described “activist law professor” John Eastman, who represented President Trump in litigation following the election. Eastman filed a complaint in response, arguing that the Committee was improperly acting in a law enforcement capacity rather than a […]
Supreme Court Issues Significant Clarification About Malicious Prosecution Claims
The Supreme Court just made it a little easier to bring a malicious prosecution claim under the Fourth Amendment. Thompson v. Clark arose when the father of a newborn was arrested and criminally charged for events stemming from his child’s diaper rash. The father, Larry Thompson, claimed the state charged him even though prosecutors had no reason to think he committed […]
If You Rob Someone at the ATM, You May Be Charged With Robbing a Bank
Most armed robberies are state crimes, with some exceptions—for example, it is a federal crime to rob any bank. Under 18 U.S.C. § 2113(a), anyone who “by force and violence, or by intimidation, takes, or attempts to take, from the person or presence of another . . . money . . . belonging to, or in the care, custody, control, management, or possession of, any […]