state courts

The US Supreme Court has ruled that states may use the federal SAVE database to verify the citizenship status of people registering to vote. The decision clears the way for state-level citizenship checks on voter rolls, a measure Republican-led states have pushed for amid ongoing disputes over election integrity and voter access.

US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito will no longer take part in a pending climate change case before the court. The announcement, reported by SCOTUSblog, removes one justice from a dispute with potential consequences for climate regulation, leaving eight justices to decide the outcome. Reasons for the withdrawal were not stated in the report.

The South Carolina Supreme Court has overturned Alex Murdaugh's murder convictions, throwing out the guilty verdicts in the high-profile double murder case. The disgraced former lawyer was convicted in 2023 of killing his wife Maggie and son Paul. The ruling is a major twist in one of America's most closely watched criminal cases.

The Trump administration is preparing new sanctions against the International Criminal Court as part of an escalating effort to undermine the Hague-based tribunal, the Wall Street Journal reports. The move escalates a long-running conflict between Washington and the court, which has pursued cases involving US allies and American personnel. Critics see it as an attack on international justice, while supporters argue the court overreaches against the United States.

A federal judge has ruled against the Trump administration's attempt to make states adopt election-related changes as a condition for receiving anti-terrorism grant funding. The decision stops the administration from withholding homeland security money to pressure states over election policy. It is the latest judicial setback to White House efforts to link federal funding to its political priorities.

US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has withdrawn from a major climate case, reversing an earlier decision to take part. The move comes amid scrutiny over potential conflicts of interest surrounding the justice. The reversal is drawing attention to ethical questions facing the Supreme Court and to the stakes of the climate litigation, which could have significant consequences for environmental regulation in the United States.

US Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito will not take part in a pending climate change case, according to multiple US news outlets. No reason for his recusal was given in the reports. His absence could affect the outcome of the case, which is seen as pivotal for climate-related litigation and regulation in the United States.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has recused himself from a high-profile climate case before the Court, according to Politico. The withdrawal removes one justice from a closely watched dispute over climate regulation, potentially affecting how the Court rules on an issue with sweeping implications for federal environmental policy and the states and industries involved.

The US Supreme Court is set to take up a lawsuit brought by Boulder, Colorado, seeking to hold energy companies liable for damages tied to wildfire risks linked to climate change. The case could determine whether local governments can pursue such claims in state courts, with broad implications for similar climate lawsuits nationwide.

Across the United States, people have been showing up in immigration courtrooms to accompany immigrants and deter ICE from detaining people at hearings. Among them is Sister Rose Patrice, a Catholic nun, whose presence supporters say can influence outcomes, since faith leaders standing beside defendants has been shown to affect how cases proceed. The practice has spread as a form of peaceful accompaniment.

A Supreme Court ruling concerning a disputed election may conflict with existing state law, according to reporting by Honolulu Civil Beat. The ruling raises questions about how election disputes should be resolved when federal judicial decisions and state statutes point in different directions. Further details about which state, which election, and the specific legal provisions involved were not provided in the available information.

The US Supreme Court has upheld state laws banning transgender girls from competing on girls' school sports teams. The ruling allows such bans, already passed in multiple states, to remain in effect and is a significant setback for advocates of transgender inclusion in school athletics, while supporters of the laws say it protects fairness in women's sports.

The European Union says it will stand firm against Elon Musk's social media platform X after the United States backed a legal challenge to EU content rules. The dispute centers on the EU's Digital Services Act enforcement against X, and Brussels insists it will defend its regulatory authority in court despite Washington's intervention.

Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito has recused himself from a case that could determine the fate of climate lawsuits brought by states and municipalities against major oil companies. Without giving a reason, Alito's removal leaves eight justices to weigh whether the suits, which seek damages for climate change harms, can proceed. The outcome could reshape how oil companies are held accountable for emissions, making the case one of the most consequential climate-related matters to reach the high court.

The United States has imposed new sanctions targeting the International Criminal Court, a move analysts warn could undermine European sovereignty and the future of international justice. Commentators are debating how the measures will affect the Hague-based court's work and whether Europe will push back against Washington's pressure on an institution many EU states strongly support.

The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for states to run voter citizenship checks using the federal SAVE database ahead of the midterm elections. The decision lets election officials verify the citizenship status of registered voters against federal records. Supporters say it protects election integrity, while voting-rights groups warn it could lead to eligible voters being wrongly flagged or purged from rolls close to the vote.

The European Union says it will stand firm in defending its position against X after the United States backed a legal challenge brought by Elon Musk against the bloc. The dispute centres on EU rules affecting the platform, and Washington's intervention has escalated what was already a tense standoff between Brussels and Musk. The case is being closely watched as a test of how far the EU's regulatory powers reach over major American tech companies.

A federal court has struck down conditions imposed by the Trump administration that tied anti-terrorism funding to election-related demands. The Brennan Center for Justice highlighted the ruling, which blocks the administration from leveraging security grants to influence how elections are run. Critics had argued the conditions amounted to improper federal pressure on state election administration.

The US Supreme Court has for the third time declined to let Missouri put in place a new congressional map expected to help Republicans win more House seats. The order leaves the map on hold while litigation continues, and it marks repeated refusals by the justices to intervene on the state's behalf, keeping the redrawn districts out of use for now.

The US Supreme Court has allowed states to use a federal database to verify the citizenship of voter registration applicants. The decision, reported by Route Fifty, clears the way for expanded vetting ahead of the midterm elections, though analysts say its practical effect on the upcoming contests will be limited because implementation timelines and coverage constraints restrict how widely the tool can be applied.

The Supreme Court has rejected a Republican-drawn congressional map in Missouri, handing Democrats a win in the ongoing battle over redistricting. The ruling could force new district lines ahead of upcoming elections and affects the balance of a state where Republicans currently dominate the congressional delegation. Observers are weighing what the decision means for Democratic prospects in Missouri and for the broader national fight over gerrymandering.

The US Supreme Court has cleared the way for states to use the federal SAVE database to verify the citizenship status of registered voters. The decision permits election officials to cross-check voter rolls against immigration records, a move backers say protects election integrity and critics warn could lead to eligible voters being wrongfully purged. The ruling is drawing sharp reactions from voting rights groups and election officials across the country.

The Electronic Frontier Foundation is calling on the DC Circuit to vacate a federal drone flight restriction that effectively criminalized aerial recording of immigration enforcement agents. The group argues the restriction blocks First Amendment-protected documentation of federal operations. The case is drawing attention amid heightened public scrutiny of immigration enforcement tactics across the United States.

Israel’s Supreme Court has ruled that the government is in violation of a previous court order concerning visits to prisoners. The ruling finds the state failed to comply with arrangements it was required to allow. The decision adds to ongoing legal disputes between Israel’s judiciary and government, and is likely to draw attention from human rights groups and legal observers in the region.

The US Supreme Court has ruled that Trump administration officials may use a federal immigration database to cross-check voter registration records. The decision allows states and federal officials to verify voter eligibility using immigration status data, a move supporters call a safeguard against noncitizen voting and critics warn could wrongly purge eligible voters. The ruling is expected to intensify ongoing legal and political battles over election integrity and voting access ahead of upcoming elections.

President Trump has publicly criticized the Supreme Court after it blocked Missouri's Republican-favored congressional map for the third time. The dispute centers on GOP efforts to redraw the state's districts to their advantage, with the court repeatedly refusing to allow the new boundaries to take effect. Trump blasted the justices' decision, intensifying tensions between the White House and a court he appointed a majority of, and keeping redistricting fights in the national spotlight.

Energy industry interests are asking the US Supreme Court to take up a case that could shield oil companies from climate-related lawsuits. According to Vox, the request is being described as audacious, with critics saying the industry is seeking to escape accountability in state courts where dozens of cities and states are suing over climate damages.

The US Supreme Court has ruled in favor of Missouri's 2022 congressional district map for the third time, rejecting renewed challenges to the state's redistricting plan. The repeated decisions leave the map adopted by Missouri Republicans after the 2020 census in place. Legal fights over the boundaries have stretched on since its adoption.

Immigrants' rights advocates, including the Asian Law Caucus, have filed a federal lawsuit challenging a new executive order from President Trump on birthright citizenship. The suit argues the order is unlawful and targets efforts to end automatic citizenship for children born in the United States. Legal battles over the order are expected to move quickly through the courts.

The Supreme Court has issued a decision concerning a federal voter-citizenship database, with potential consequences for upcoming midterm elections. The ruling raises questions about how states verify voter eligibility and could influence election administration and turnout battles heading into the midterms, with officials and voting-rights groups closely watching the implications.

The U.S. Supreme Court has once more blocked Missouri's redrawn congressional district map, which critics describe as gerrymandered. The intervention stops the state's new boundaries from taking effect while litigation continues, marking a repeated setback for Missouri Republicans who pushed the map. Details on the court's reasoning and next steps in the case remain limited in initial reports.

A court has shut down an investigation by a California sheriff who seized ballots as part of an election inquiry, and the ruling is expected to have implications far beyond the state. Legal observers say the decision will help define the limits of local law enforcement authority over election materials, a question likely to arise in other contested cases nationwide.

Climate activist Greta Thunberg and the group Aurora have filed a new lawsuit against Sweden, arguing the state has failed to protect children from the consequences of climate change. The legal action follows earlier attempts to hold the Swedish government accountable through the courts, and renews pressure on policymakers over the country's climate commitments.