tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-40798942011-08-31T15:11:21.940-04:00JURIST's legal news service, powered by a team of over 40 law student reporters and editors led by Professor Bernard Hibbitts at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law.Bernard Hibbittsnoreply@blogger.comBlogger310811100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-87086074589372093272010-04-30T15:23:00.007-04:002010-04-30T16:47:10.343-04:00

[JURIST] Law enforcement officials on Thursday told the Wall Street Journal [media website] that the US Department of Justice (DOJ) [official website] is opening a criminal investigation [WSJ report] of Goldman, Sachs & Co. [corporate website] for possible securities fraud in mortgage trading. Two weeks ago, the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) [official website; JURIST news archive]

Jonathan Cohennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-92178065224043621792010-04-30T15:11:00.009-04:002010-04-30T16:37:37.061-04:00

[JURIST] Canadian Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive] detainee Omar Khadr [DOD materials; JURIST news archive] on Friday refused for the second straight day to attend preliminary hearings relating to his pending murder and terrorism charges [JURIST report], claiming he is being mistreated by military guards. On Thursday, Khadr refused to attend the proceedings, stating [WP report] that the

Hillary Stemplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03826858157450882123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-61801774822640352262010-04-30T14:33:00.009-04:002010-04-30T16:00:06.868-04:00

[JURIST] The US government on Friday charged [indictment, PDF] two Brooklyn men with conspiracy to provide material support [18 USC § 2339B materials] to al Qaeda [GlobalSecurity backgrounder; JURIST news archive]. The two men allegedly received at least $50,000 for providing al Qaeda with "computer advice and assistance, services, and currency," among other acts, between November 2007 and March

Jonathan Cohennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-51734676855821037502010-04-30T13:04:00.003-04:002010-04-30T15:23:07.219-04:00

[JURIST] Germany's Federal Court of Justice [official website, in German] ruled Thursday that the use of thumbnail preview images pulled from websites by Google [corporate website; JURIST news archive] is not a violation of copyright law. The original lawsuit was brought against Google by an artist who had images of her work pulled from her website and displayed on Google's image search index

Hillary Stemplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03826858157450882123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-52813315858865691232010-04-30T12:15:00.005-04:002010-04-30T15:26:59.860-04:00

[JURIST] The US House of Representatives [official website] voted 223-169 [roll call] Thursday to approve legislation calling for a referendum on the status of Puerto Rico [BBC backgrounder]. The Puerto Rico Democracy Act [HR 2499 text, PDF] was introduced by Resident Commissioner Pedro Pierluisi (D) [official website], Puerto Rico's nonvoting delegate to the House, and had 181 co-sponsors,

Dwyer Arcehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09888451953785271095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-79995065610474721782010-04-30T11:25:00.014-04:002010-04-30T14:41:46.370-04:00

[JURIST] The Pre-Trial Chamber of the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) [official website] on Friday dismissed appeals [press release] by three former Khmer Rouge [BBC backgrounder; JURIST news archive] officials to block the extension of their provisional detention. The three prisoners, Ieng Thirith, Ieng Sary, and Khieu Samphan [judgments, PDF], were arrested in November

Zach Zaggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03690580270265031315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-36250798175483484462010-04-30T10:34:00.009-04:002010-04-30T14:12:00.092-04:00

[JURIST] The French Justice Ministry on Thursday denied a request from former Panamanian military leader Manuel Noriega [BBC backgrounder; JURIST news archive] to be treated as a prisoner of war (POW). Noriega currently awaits trial in France on money laundering charges. Justice Ministry spokesperson Guillaume Didier said that Noriega will not be treated as a POW [AFP report] because the charges

Zach Zaggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03690580270265031315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-36949639716800942192010-04-30T10:23:00.008-04:002010-04-30T13:39:38.897-04:00

[JURIST] Former Pennsylvania judge Michael Conahan pleaded guilty Thursday on charges of accepting more than $2.6 million in kickbacks for sentencing teenagers to two private juvenile detention facilities in which he had a financial interest. The former president judge of the Luzerne County Court of Common Pleas [official website] pleaded guilty [Philadelphia Inquirer report] to one count of

Michael Kraemernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-52654773834079799642010-04-30T09:49:00.004-04:002010-04-30T11:24:02.435-04:00

[JURIST] A judge in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan [official website] on Thursday dismissed [opinion and order, PDF] a lawsuit against a Michigan judge who ordered a Muslim woman to remove her headscarf [JURIST news archive] in court. The suit [complaint, PDF] was filed in August by the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) [advocacy website] on behalf of Raneen

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-52077823979526221782010-04-30T08:47:00.004-04:002010-04-30T10:18:45.329-04:00

[JURIST] The Hawaii House of Representatives [official website] voted 31-20 Thursday to approve legislation [HB 444 text, PDF] allowing same-sex civil unions [JURIST news archive]. The act would confer upon homosexual and heterosexual couples rights and benefits equal to those afforded married couples in the state. The bill was approved [JURIST report] by the Senate [official website] in January,

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-86771097693069960812010-04-29T16:34:00.003-04:002010-04-29T17:03:46.471-04:00

[JURIST] Two lawsuits were filed Tuesday challenging Arizona's new immigration law, which makes it a crime to be an undocumented immigrant and requires police to question anyone whose immigration status appears suspect. Arizona police officer Martin Escobar filed suit [complaint text] in the US District Court for the District of Arizona [official website], alleging that SB 1070 [materials] is

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-33495305208546982072010-04-29T15:30:00.004-04:002010-04-29T15:56:01.301-04:00

[JURIST] The Belgian House of Representatives [official website, in French] on Thursday voted 136-0 to approve a bill that would ban the Islamic burqa [JURIST news archive] and other full face veils in public. The proposed legislation [materials, in French] applies to areas "accessible to the public" or areas meant for "public use or to provide public services." Violators could face a penalty of

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-39016814916714194042010-04-29T14:03:00.004-04:002010-04-29T16:32:25.800-04:00

[JURIST] Pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi [BBC profile; JURIST news archive], filed suit Thursday in Myanmar's Supreme Court to stop the dissolution of her opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) [party website] under a controversial election law [JURIST report]. Suu Kyi is asking the court to annul the part of the election law that bars political prisoners [JURIST report] from

Jonathan Cohennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-23891327082497761472010-04-29T13:00:00.002-04:002010-04-29T16:15:18.416-04:00

[JURIST] A group of Senate Democrats on Thursday introduced legislation [text, PDF] aimed at curbing foreign and corporate influence in elections after a recent Supreme Court [official website] decision eased restrictions on campaign spending [JURIST report]. In Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission [Cornell LII backgrounder], the Supreme Court struck down Section 203 of the Bipartisan

Jonathan Cohennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-75923552878027764652010-04-29T12:27:00.003-04:002010-04-29T15:10:33.394-04:00

[JURIST] Ukrainian prosecutors said Thursday that they may file criminal charges in connection with Tuesday's Parliament [official website, in Ukrainian] session in which lawmakers hurled eggs and smoke bombs [AP report] and engaged in physical violence. Chaos broke out Tuesday as lawmakers approved a treaty [press release, in Ukrainian] that will extend Russia's lease on a naval base in the

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-20441141049888966582010-04-29T11:34:00.014-04:002010-04-29T14:32:06.694-04:00

[JURIST] The Chinese government on Thursday revised its often-criticized state secrets [JURIST news archive] law to require Internet and telecommunications companies to inform on customers who share state secrets. This new provision may provide a disincentive [FT report] to many service providers from entering China, particularly when considered along with China's Internet filtering laws [BBC

Brian Jacksonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-85533366760311891412010-04-29T10:28:00.015-04:002010-04-29T13:58:11.731-04:00

[JURIST] The US Bureau of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) [official website] on Tuesday removed [press release] accused Bosnian civil war [JURIST news archive] criminal Marko Boskic to Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH). Boskic will stand trial in Sarajevo for his role in the Srebrenica massacre [JURIST news archive] in 1995, where 1,200 unarmed prisoners of war were killed. Boskic was first

Brian Jacksonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-942365733327372892010-04-29T09:49:00.003-04:002010-04-29T10:41:47.407-04:00

[JURIST] The European Court of Justice (ECJ) [official website] ruled [materials; press release, PDF] Thursday that the UK may not restrict government benefits to the spouses and families of suspected terrorists. The challenge was brought by three women whose husbands' names appear on the UN list of terror suspects [materials] that have been linked to al Qaeda, the Taliban, or Osama bin Laden,

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-27709927272132932302010-04-29T08:51:00.004-04:002010-04-29T09:48:11.304-04:00

[JURIST] Panamanian President Ricardo Martinelli [official profile, in Spanish] said Wednesday that his government will seek the extradition of former military leader Manuel Noriega [BBC backgrounder; JURIST news archive], currently being held in France on money laundering charges. Noriega faces charges of human rights violations in Panama for crimes allegedly committed during his 1981-1989 rule.

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-36850701296360905692010-04-28T16:12:00.000-04:002010-04-28T15:57:31.198-04:00

[JURIST] The Russian government on Wednesday made public [press release] documents [materials, in Russian] relating to the 1940 Katyn Massacre [Britannica backgrounder; JURIST news archive] in which 20,000 Poles were killed by the USSR. While the documents were previously available to historians, political officials, and victims' families, this is the first time that copies of the original

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-72948037770371664522010-04-28T15:27:00.002-04:002010-04-28T15:56:29.021-04:00

[JURIST] A US subcommittee heard testimony Wednesday on the use of unmanned predator drone strikes [JURIST news archive]. The National Security and Foreign Affairs Subcommittee of the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform [official websites] held a hearing [materials] on the legality of unmanned targeting. In his opening remarks [text, PDF], subcommittee chair John Tierney (D-MA) [

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-88841245709505249792010-04-28T14:45:00.023-04:002010-04-28T16:26:00.920-04:00

[JURIST] Oklahoma Governor Brad Henry [official profile] on Tuesday vetoed [press release] legislation [SB 1685 text, RTF] that would have exempted buyers of Oklahoma-made guns from several regulatory precautions including federal criminal background checks. Henry believes that the proposed legislation would "endanger citizens and law enforcement officers" by abolishing "common sense regulations"

Tara Tighehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09916234514261667818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-2892525906168804512010-04-28T14:16:00.003-04:002010-04-28T15:34:47.047-04:00

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] heard oral arguments [day call, PDF; merit briefs] Wednesday in Doe #1 v. Reed [oral arguments transcript, PDF; JURIST report] on whether the First Amendment allows a state to compel the release of identity information about petition signers. The case arose over an order to publish the names of those who signed a Washington

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-82551982091065390872010-04-28T13:27:00.002-04:002010-04-28T16:46:58.221-04:00

[JURIST] The Moscow City Court ruled Tuesday that the Slavic Union (SS) violates Russia's extremism laws, banning the organization. The SS, whose initials are the same as the Nazi paramilitary, was one of Russia's largest neo-Nazi [JURIST news archive] organizations. City prosecutors initiated the action [Moscow Times report], accusing the group of promoting nationalistic supremacy similar to the

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-73511046877306215782010-04-28T12:21:00.019-04:002010-04-28T14:17:42.767-04:00

[JURIST] The Chinese government announced Tuesday that it has lifted a ban on entry [Xinhua report] into that country for individuals with HIV/AIDS and other communicable diseases. The ban was originally implemented under the Frontier Health and Quarantine Law and the Law on Control of the Entry and Exit of Aliens [texts], both passed in 1987. The ban had temporarily been lifted for international

Brian Jacksonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-52932601387052594862010-04-28T12:11:00.009-04:002010-04-28T13:42:09.179-04:00

[JURIST] The Japanese Diet on Tuesday approved a bill abolishing the statute of limitations for murder. The new law abolishes the statute of limitations for serious capital crimes, which was previously 25 years, and extends [Daily Yomiuri report] the limitation period for sexual assault and other crimes resulting in death from 15 to 30 years. The law also doubles prison terms for other crimes

Zach Zaggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03690580270265031315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-61227287419556276842010-04-28T11:03:00.004-04:002010-04-28T12:58:33.128-04:00

[JURIST] The US Department of Defense (DOD) [official website] on Tuesday released a manual [text, PDF] for military commission [JURIST news archive] procedures under the Military Commissions Act of 2009 [text, PDF]. The manual establishes the rules of evidence and procedure for the commissions, allowing for the admission of certain hearsay evidence and defining "material support" for terrorism.

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-32152802633031020842010-04-28T10:21:00.018-04:002010-04-28T12:56:04.657-04:00

[JURIST] Iraqi detainees were repeatedly tortured [press release] in a secret prison in Baghdad, Human Rights Watch (HRW) said Tuesday. HRW says that detainees held at the Muthanna facility, run by Iraqi authorities, were hung upside-down, deprived of air, kicked, whipped, beaten, given electric shocks, and sodomized during torture sessions that detainees faced every three to four days. HRW

Zach Zaggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03690580270265031315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-27642028484782972772010-04-28T10:07:00.004-04:002010-04-28T10:45:26.471-04:00

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] on Wednesday ruled [opinion, PDF] in Salazar v. Buono [Cornell LII backgrounder; JURIST report] that the lower courts were wrong to ban government from transferring public land containing a religious symbol to a private entity. The court also held that an individual has Article III [text] standing to bring a suit under the

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-7954747762277786682010-04-28T09:29:00.019-04:002010-04-28T12:30:46.719-04:00

[JURIST] The UN Security Council on Tuesday unanimously approved Resolution 1918 [press release], calling on member states to criminalize piracy under their domestic laws and urging Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon [official website] to consider an international tribunal for prosecuting piracy. In the resolution, the Security Council noted its previous resolutions regarding piracy, particularly

Brian Jacksonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-12455377538707325902010-04-28T08:42:00.007-04:002010-04-28T10:38:21.128-04:00

[JURIST] Canadian House of Commons Speaker Peter Milliken [official website] ruled [text, PDF] Tuesday that members of Parliament have the right to seek uncensored Afghan detainee documents from the government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper [official websites]. The historic ruling is a significant victory for opposition parties over Harper's minority Conservative government. In his ruling,

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-16991994624769152702010-04-27T16:25:00.001-04:002010-04-27T16:30:25.208-04:00

[JURIST] A French judge ruled Tuesday that former Panamanian military leader Manuel Noriega [BBC backgrounder; JURIST news archive] must remain in custody until his trial on money laundering charges. Noriega arrived in France Tuesday morning after being extradited [JURIST report] from the US, where he had served a 17-year sentence on drug charges. Noriega appeared Tuesday before French

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-25012920826588468952010-04-27T15:32:00.000-04:002010-04-27T16:05:00.597-04:00

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] heard oral arguments [day call, PDF; merit briefs] Tuesday in Monsanto Company v. Geertson Seed Farms [oral arguments transcript, PDF; JURIST report] on what conditions must be met to obtain a nationwide injunction prohibiting the planting of genetically engineered crops. The case arose over an injunction against the planting

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-34973633861588183852010-04-27T14:31:00.000-04:002010-04-27T15:43:26.260-04:00

[JURIST] Defense lawyers for Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) former vice president Jean-Pierre Bemba [case materials, JURIST news archive] argued before the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] Tuesday that charges against their client should be dropped. His lawyers argued that he has been denied due process [Reuters report] and that the charges are illegal. Bemba was

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-18489119584101841702010-04-27T13:40:00.011-04:002010-04-27T15:21:49.729-04:00

[JURIST] The Oklahoma State Senate [official website] on Tuesday voted 36-12 to override Governor Brad Henry's veto of two anti-abortion bills that will now immediately become law. The first bill [HB 2526 text, RTF] would prevent "wrongful life" lawsuits in which parents seek damages for a child born with a birth defect because the mother was unable to obtain an abortion. The second bill [HB 2780

Megan McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13448577607680864340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-53130661063954473222010-04-27T12:31:00.010-04:002010-04-27T14:48:44.794-04:00

[JURIST] Mexican President Felipe Calderon [official website, Spanish] on Monday strongly criticized [press release, in Spanish] Arizona's new immigration law, claiming that the measure opens the door to intolerance and hatred. The Arizona bill [SB 1070 materials], signed into law [JURIST report] last week by Governor Jan Brewer, makes it a crime to be an undocumented immigrant and requires

Megan McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13448577607680864340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-46486057382449890572010-04-27T12:07:00.002-04:002010-04-27T13:58:49.752-04:00

[JURIST] Officials in Kyrgyzstan's interim government said Tuesday that ousted former president Kurmanbek Bakiyev [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] has been charged with mass murder, for which he will be tried in absentia. The charges stem from an April 7 incident [JURIST report] in which police fired on a crowd of anti-government demonstrators, killing more than 85 people. The crowd eventually

Daniel Richeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13263094814573277042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-21336926055372524432010-04-27T11:34:00.003-04:002010-04-27T13:43:45.701-04:00

[JURIST] A US military official has said that the US is in negotiations to transfer non-Afghan detainees at Bagram Air Base [official website; JURIST news archive] back to their home countries, Al Jazeera reported [text] Tuesday. The military intends to return the detainees to their countries of origin in anticipation of a transfer of the facility [JURIST report] to Afghan authorities at the end

Steve Dottererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02660076860396005858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-21444421460156576692010-04-27T11:05:00.004-04:002010-04-27T12:19:37.129-04:00

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] on Tuesday allowed a suit to proceed against drug maker Merck & Co. [corporate website] over the safety record of its painkiller Vioxx [JURIST news archive]. The court ruled [opinion, PDF] unanimously in Merck & Co. v. Reynolds [Cornell LII backgrounder; JURIST report] that the statute of limitations in a securities fraud

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-67129776032179734192010-04-27T10:27:00.004-04:002010-04-27T12:46:23.143-04:00

[JURIST] Indonesia's justice minister announced Tuesday the opening of a prison wing intended to confine individuals convicted of corruption. The new wing, part of Cipinang Penitentiary in East Jakarta, is designed to hold up to 256 inmates, although only 10 people are currently incarcerated there. The country's Corruption Eradication Commission (KPK) [official website, in Bahasa] is responsible

Steve Dottererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02660076860396005858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-46305743282847998982010-04-27T10:04:00.004-04:002010-04-27T12:21:26.645-04:00

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] on Tuesday ruled [opinion, PDF] 5-3 in Stolt-Nielsen SA v. AnimalFeeds International [Cornell LII backgrounder; JURIST report] that imposing class arbitration on parties when that issue is silent in the parties' arbitration clauses is inconsistent with the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) [9 USC §§ 1-14 text]. The US Court of

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-77853340016724956242010-04-27T09:04:00.003-04:002010-04-27T10:01:33.833-04:00

[JURIST] Former Panamanian military leader Manuel Noriega [BBC backgrounder; JURIST news archive] arrived in France Tuesday to face money laundering charges after being extradited from the US. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton [official profile] signed a surrender warrant Monday after a federal judge lifted the stay [JURIST report] blocking his extradition last month. Noriega will appear

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-42799832252764569452010-04-27T08:13:00.003-04:002010-04-27T08:48:33.402-04:00

[JURIST] A Haitian judge on Monday dismissed charges of kidnapping and criminal association against all 10 members of a US missionary group arrested [JURIST report] in January but ordered one to stand trial for making "irregular travel" arrangements involving 30 Haitian children. Laura Silsby, the only missionary who has not been released by Haitian authorities, will remain in custody [CNN report

Ximena Marinerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06141546965415147103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-65635852449354961012010-04-26T15:12:00.001-04:002010-04-26T16:54:52.722-04:00

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] heard oral arguments [day call, PDF; merit briefs] Monday in two cases. In Hardt v. Reliance Standard Life Insurance Co. [oral arguments transcript, PDF; JURIST report], the court heard arguments on whether whether § 502(g)(1) of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) [materials] provides a district court

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-88759810527252050212010-04-26T14:48:00.012-04:002010-04-26T16:44:54.427-04:00

[JURIST] The US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit [official website] on Monday affirmed [opinion, PDF] certification of the largest class action lawsuit in US history against Wal-Mart [corporate website] for allegedly discriminating against female employees. The 6-5 en banc ruling upholds a previous decision [JURIST report] by the Ninth Circuit that the lawsuit could go to trial despite the

Carrie Schimizzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00966261928134558992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-4379038068801810552010-04-26T12:30:00.008-04:002010-04-26T16:16:29.734-04:00

[JURIST] Chinese authorities have arrested a prominent Tibetan writer after he signed a letter critical of the Chinese government's relief efforts following the recent earthquake in the western Qinghai [Xinhua backgrounder] province, a family friend said Monday. Tra Gyal, who writes under the pseudonym Zhogs Dung, was reportedly arrested [AP report] while working at the Nationalities Publishing

Patrice Collinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258579106425581242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-72950227856325860682010-04-26T12:02:00.030-04:002010-04-26T15:48:20.450-04:00

[JURIST] Lawyers for victims of the July 7, 2005 London transit bombings [JURIST news archive] argued on Monday in the Royal Courts of Justice that UK authorities possessed information that could have helped them prevent the attacks. The theory for the case is built on intelligence that British security service MI5 [official website] and the London police had uncovered about the four suicide

Steve Dottererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02660076860396005858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-21648140281781116852010-04-26T11:52:00.027-04:002010-04-26T15:14:56.905-04:00

[JURIST] The International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] has rejected [judgment, PDF; press release] the prosecutor's petition to appeal the court's February decision [judgment, PDF] declining to confirm the charges against Darfur rebel chief Bahr Idriss Abu Garda [case materials; JURIST news archive]. In a decision released Friday, the chamber recalled its earlier determination that

Megan McKeehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13448577607680864340noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-28071859870850899382010-04-26T10:32:00.012-04:002010-04-26T14:56:42.991-04:00

[JURIST] French Justice Minister Michele Alliot-Marie [official profile, in French] and Jordan's King Abdullah II [official profile] met Sunday to discuss increasing cooperation [press release] between France and Jordan's judicial and legislative branches and strengthening the ties between the two countries. Alliot-Marie told reporters that France would send legal experts [AFP report] to Jordan

Ann Rileynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-69084751131147689672010-04-26T10:06:00.006-04:002010-04-26T11:05:35.263-04:00

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] on Monday granted certiorari [order list, PDF] in two cases. In Schwarzenegger v. Entertainment Merchants Association [docket; cert. petition, PDF], the court will decide whether the First Amendment [text] permits any limits on offensive content in violent video games sold to minors, and whether a state regulation for

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-19811136036441154542010-04-26T09:57:00.005-04:002010-04-26T11:56:35.803-04:00

[JURIST] The recount of votes cast in Baghdad province during the March 7 parliamentary elections [CEIP backgrounder; JURIST news archive] will be delayed a week, according to an official on Monday. The Independent High Election Commission (IHEC) [official website] will not begin the recount [Reuters report] until the review panel ordering the recount defines more precisely what a recount entails

Dwyer Arcehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09888451953785271095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-76112928715857208912010-04-26T08:52:00.016-04:002010-04-26T10:19:00.548-04:00

[JURIST] Thailand's pro-government People's Alliance for Democracy Network [party website, in Thai; BBC backgrounder], known as "yellow shirts," called Monday for a declaration of martial law to quell the anti-government movement spearheaded by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship [party website, in Thai], or "red shirts." The statement comes after over a month of conflict in

Daniel Richeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13263094814573277042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-14293327645191752412010-04-26T08:17:00.008-04:002010-04-26T10:02:58.962-04:00

[JURIST] Liberian Justice Minister Christiana Tah has said that a report [materials] issued by the Liberian Truth and Reconciliation Commission (TRC) [official website] will be reviewed by Liberian officials in order to determine if prosecutions for possible war crimes should proceed. The TRC report, issued last December, detailed crimes committed during Liberia's civil war [UNMIL backgrounder;

Hillary Stemplehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03826858157450882123noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-74962334204616396072010-04-25T14:51:00.005-04:002010-04-25T19:01:15.698-04:00

[JURIST] Lawyers representing Omar Khadr [DOD materials; JURIST news archive], a Canadian currently being detained at Guantanamo Bay [JURIST news archive], say they will seek to suppress statements he made during interrogation at a preliminary hearing to begin Wednesday. The hearing is to be the last before his US military commission [JURIST news archive] trial in July, the first to commence

Dwyer Arcehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09888451953785271095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-13187235482093314422010-04-25T13:06:00.004-04:002010-04-25T16:09:48.163-04:00

[JURIST] US Senator Lindsay Graham (R-SC) [official website] withdrew support for a comprehensive climate change bill on Saturday, delaying the unveiling of the legislation and casting its prospects for passage into doubt. The bill represents a major part of President Barack Obama's legislative agenda and had been under negotiation [AP report] between Graham and Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and

Dwyer Arcehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09888451953785271095noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-49441202036145622962010-04-25T10:35:00.004-04:002010-04-25T16:04:26.394-04:00

[JURIST] Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] on Saturday strongly criticized new attempts to impose UN sanctions on his country's nuclear program. Ahmadinejad was in Uganda meeting with President Yoweri Museveni when he made the comments. The Iranian leader said that actions being taken by the United States and its allies in the UN Security Council [official

Steve Czajkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01836175957582468682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-18172654194100848592010-04-25T09:25:00.005-04:002010-04-25T15:58:40.418-04:00

[JURIST] Thousands gathered in cities across Spain Saturday to protest the impending trial of crusading National Court judge Baltasar Garzon [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] on charges [JURIST report] he exceeded his jurisdictional authority with his investigation [JURIST report] into alleged war crimes committed during and after the Spanish Civil War [LOC backgrounder] under the hardline

Steve Czajkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01836175957582468682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-91579949981442839902010-04-24T16:50:00.010-04:002010-04-25T10:20:49.362-04:00

[JURIST] A Navy judge in Iraq acquitted US Navy SEAL [official website] Jonathan Keefe Friday of a charge of dereliction of duty in relation to the alleged assault of a high-profile Iraqi detainee implicated in the killing of four American contractors in Fallujah [JURIST new archive] in 2004, citing insufficient evidence [AP report]. Testimony at the hearing included that of recently acquitted

Ximena Marinerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06141546965415147103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-7908393747332903832010-04-24T14:55:00.014-04:002010-04-24T17:26:40.324-04:00

[JURIST] An Oregon jury Friday found the Boy Scouts of America [organization website] negligent for failing to take actions that would have prevented further sexual abuse by an assistant scoutmaster during the 1980s and ordered the organization to pay $18.5 million in punitive damages to plaintiff Kerry Lewis. Multnomah County Circuit Court [official website] jurors concluded that awarding

Ximena Marinerohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06141546965415147103noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-26028836004635624442010-04-24T11:37:00.009-04:002010-04-26T12:21:17.763-04:00

[JURIST] Two Latino advocacy groups say they plan to challenge the constitutionality of Arizona's new immigration law, alleging it permits racial profiling. SB 1070 [text, PDF], signed into law [JURIST report] Friday by Governor Jan Brewer, permits police to question the immigration status of suspected illegal immigrants. Officials from the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (

Bhargav Katikanenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08061683798003153854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-51681575253079332032010-04-24T10:32:00.010-04:002010-04-25T10:20:08.973-04:00

[JURIST] A New York man pleaded guilty [US DOJ press release] Friday for plotting to bomb the New York City subway system in 2009. Zarein Ahmedzay appeared before US magistrate judge Steven Gold [official profile] on charges of conspiracy to use a weapon of mass of destruction (explosive bombs) against persons or property in the US, conspiracy to commit murder in a foreign country, and providing

Bhargav Katikanenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08061683798003153854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-5197555473412364132010-04-23T16:37:00.004-04:002010-04-27T08:56:08.111-04:00

[JURIST] Arizona Governor Jan Brewer (R) [official website] on Friday signed into law [press release, PDF] a controversial bill [SB1070 materials] that would require any individual suspected of being an illegal immigrant to present valid identification to law enforcement officials. The bill gives police officers permission to determine the immigration status of any individual who arouses

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-72662877045134668332010-04-23T15:48:00.002-04:002010-04-23T16:10:22.559-04:00

[JURIST] Officials from the UK Ministry of Justice [official website] announced Friday that the government will award compensation to Lotfi Raissi, an Algerian-born UK man wrongfully detained in the wake of the 9/11 attacks [JURIST news archive]. Raissi was jailed in September 2001 on a US extradition warrant after being indicted by a federal grand jury on accusations that he provided pilot

Daniel Richeyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13263094814573277042noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-4846648162830458052010-04-23T14:47:00.002-04:002010-04-23T16:31:44.585-04:00

[JURIST] US federal prosecutors have charged [press release] a group of 11 suspected Somali pirates [JURIST news archive] in the US District Court for the Eastern District of Virginia [official website], according to indictments unsealed Friday. The US District Attorney for the Eastern District of Virginia [official website] filed separate charges against two different groups of suspected pirates

Jonathan Cohennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-19197769321696243632010-04-23T13:29:00.003-04:002010-04-23T15:34:27.867-04:00

[JURIST] The International Whaling Commission (IWC) [official website] unveiled a draft proposal [text, PDF; press release, PDF] Thursday that would make limited commercial whaling legal for the first time in 25 years. The proposal reflects a compromise for the countries that engage in whaling despite international law against it. Japan, Norway, and Iceland would be allowed to continue under

Zach Zaggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03690580270265031315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-89448197858873086042010-04-23T12:58:00.001-04:002010-04-23T21:14:58.997-04:00

[JURIST] US President Barack Obama [official website] on Thursday expressed opposition to a pending Arizona bill [SB 1070 materials] that would require any individual suspected of being an illegal immigrant to present valid identification to law enforcement officials. In remarks [text] delivered at a naturalization ceremony, Obama stated that failure to enact federal immigration reform has given

Steve Dottererhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02660076860396005858noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-42857852507330170892010-04-23T11:58:00.035-04:002010-04-23T14:54:34.152-04:00

[JURIST] The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) [official website] on Thursday ordered [judgment text; press release] Azerbaijan's government to "secure the immediate release" of imprisoned Azeri journalist Eynulla Fatuallyev and pay him over 25,000 euros in compensation. Fatuallyev has been imprisoned since April 2007 and was convicted in Azerbaijan of committing defamation and tax evasion

Sarah Paulsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08472557676599573846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-91260175198515883062010-04-23T10:51:00.006-04:002010-04-23T13:46:20.190-04:00

[JURIST] A top Chinese official on Thursday appealed [Xinhua report] to the nation's judges, urging them to be impartial when issuing rulings. Speaking in front of a national meeting of high court presidents in the Shaanxi Province [official website,], Central Committee of the Communist Party of China [official website] official Zhou Yongkang [Xinhua profile] stressed the importance of fair and

Patrice Collinshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258579106425581242noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-66459284867374384422010-04-23T10:47:00.013-04:002010-04-23T13:15:57.368-04:00

[JURIST] A military appeals court on Thursday reversed [opinion, PDF] the conviction of US Marine Sgt. Lawrence Hutchins III for the 2006 killing of an Iraqi civilian, citing lack of a fair trial. In an 8-1 decision, the Navy-Marine Corps Court of Criminal Appeals [official website] ruled that the departure of one of Hutchins's primary attorneys shortly before the court-martial [JURIST news

Daniel Makoskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10418882480068242330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-55103228731038254342010-04-23T09:05:00.000-04:002010-04-23T10:13:18.149-04:00

[JURIST] US President Barack Obama [official website] on Thursday called for new financial regulations [text], outlining the major components of his proposal. Answering critics who claim that the reforms will increase bailouts, Obama compared the concept behind the proposed financial reforms to the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC)[official website], a government program he says

David Maneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16788805472590808583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-62299177747981190632010-04-23T08:32:00.004-04:002010-04-23T10:12:46.237-04:00

[JURIST] A Shangai court ruled Thursday that a Chinese insurance company is liable to software company Microsoft [corporate website; JURIST news archive] for using illegal copies of its products, ordering the insurance company to pay Microsoft USD $318,000 in damages. The $318,000 awarded against Dazhong Insurance is the largest amount of damages [People's Daily report] ever ordered by a Chinese

Matt Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16618712888764913409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-48632344640900106152010-04-23T07:30:00.001-04:002010-04-23T09:07:33.845-04:00

[JURIST] The US Department of Justice (DOJ) [official website] announced Thursday that it will appeal last week's ruling [opinion, PDF; JURIST report] that the National Day of Prayer [official website] is an unconstitutional government endorsement of religion. The DOJ filed a notice of appeal [WSJ report] Thursday with the US District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin [official website]

Matt Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16618712888764913409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-28635266178404326422010-04-23T07:09:00.001-04:002010-04-23T08:38:31.958-04:00

[JURIST] Chief prosecutor for the International Criminal Court (ICC) [official website] Luis Moreno Ocampo [official profile] has asked judges to report Sudan to the UN Security Council [official website] for failing to comply with arrest warrants for two government officials. Ocampo filed the request [text, PDF] Monday for a finding of non-cooperation pursuant to Article 87 of the Rome Statute [

Sarah Mileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481014236505918702noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-31000312823220740722010-04-22T14:04:00.012-04:002010-04-22T17:02:50.150-04:00

[JURIST] Kyrgyzstan interim deputy leader Omurbek Tekebayev announced Thursday that the country would hold a referendum on a new constitution on July 27. Tekebayev, part of the interim government that took power two weeks ago amid an anti-government uprising [JURIST report], said the new constitution would guarantee [AFP report] a parliamentary republic and reduce the powers of the president in

Zach Zaggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03690580270265031315noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-50953000900715765372010-04-22T12:53:00.013-04:002010-04-22T15:46:59.404-04:00

[JURIST] Former Sri Lankan army chief Sarath Fonseka [BBC profile; JURIST news archive] appeared before parliament [official website] Thursday to call for both his freedom and respect for the "rule of law." Fonseka argued for his release from what he characterized as an "illegal detention" [Al Jazeera report] and a byproduct of injustice, while also insisting on democratic improvements [BBC

Daniel Makoskyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10418882480068242330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-91734791332425073302010-04-22T12:34:00.006-04:002010-04-22T15:28:22.425-04:00

[JURIST] The Netherlands Utrecht District Court on Thursday acquitted [decision, in Dutch; press release, in Dutch ] members of the Arab European League (AEL) of hate speech charges resulting from the posting a cartoon on their website that insinuated that the Holocaust was fabricated. The criminal complaint against the group alleged that the cartoon violated Article 137c of the Dutch Penal Code

Erin Bockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17015837882886593895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-55964563839832131742010-04-22T11:56:00.010-04:002010-04-22T14:39:32.555-04:00

[JURIST] The Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) war crimes court [official website] on Thursday convicted [press release] Radomir Vukovic and Zoran Tomic for their alleged roles in the 1995 Srebrenica massacre during the Bosnian civil war [JURIST news archives]. The accused were found guilty of genocide under Article 171 paragraph a) of the BiH criminal code [text, PDF] and were each sentenced to 31

Haley Wojdowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08323890931571403393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-2754118055078647942010-04-22T10:35:00.005-04:002010-04-22T13:40:28.948-04:00

[JURIST] A US military panel in Iraq on Thursday acquitted Navy SEAL [official website] Julio Huertas of any wrongdoing in connection with the alleged assault of a high-profile Iraqi detainee. A six-person jury found Huertas not guilty [AP report] on charges of dereliction of duty and impeding an investigation for taking no action while a fellow SEAL allegedly punched and kicked Iraqi prisoner

Bhargav Katikanenihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08061683798003153854noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-34213883967858930682010-04-22T10:17:00.002-04:002010-04-22T12:26:00.130-04:00

[JURIST] A group of more than 30 privacy and civil liberty groups on Wednesday asked [petition, PDF; press release] the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) [official website] to suspend the full body scanner [TSA backgrounder] program being implemented by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) [official website]. The petition states that use of the full body scanner program is an

Jonathan Cohennoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-64500803447571741482010-04-22T09:45:00.003-04:002010-04-22T11:16:22.255-04:00

[JURIST] German federal prosecutors said Wednesday that they have charged former Red Army Faction (RAF) [advocacy website; JURIST news archive] member Verena Beckman for the 1977 murders of federal prosecutor Siegfried Buback and two other men. Beckman was originally arrested two months after Buback's assassination and served 12 years of a life sentence for her role in other killings before she

Andrea Bottorffhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11857493861024601772noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-86503041938566173522010-04-22T08:28:00.003-04:002010-04-22T10:02:56.779-04:00

[JURIST] Rwandan authorities arrested opposition presidential candidate Victoire Ingabire Umuhoza [campaign website] Wednesday, accusing her of denying the 1994 Rwandan genocide [HRW backgrounder; JURIST news archive] and collaborating with terrorists. Authorities cited Ingabire's call for the prosecution [AFP report] of those who killed Hutus during the genocide, in which over 800,000 people,

Matt Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16618712888764913409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-32780025391611365952010-04-22T07:05:00.003-04:002010-04-22T09:34:53.086-04:00

[JURIST] A US government official said Wednesday that at least five accused Somali pirates [JURIST news archive] will face charges in the US [AP report], according to the Associated Press. The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity while the transfers are pending, said that the accused will arrive in Norfolk, Virginia, by the end of this week. Although Kenyan courts are no longer willing

Matt Glennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16618712888764913409noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-1198000476541287132010-04-21T15:26:00.004-04:002010-04-21T15:44:52.642-04:00

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] heard oral arguments [day call, PDF; merit briefs] Wednesday in Krupski v. Costa Crociere [oral arguments transcript, PDF; JURIST report] on the appropriate construction of "mistake" in Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 15(c)(1)(C) [text]. The rule permits an amended complaint to "relate back" for statute of limitation purposes

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-28791607763233585712010-04-21T14:10:00.001-04:002010-04-21T16:06:27.648-04:00

[JURIST] Five international Muslim Brotherhood (MB) [party website; JURIST news archive] members will be tried [MB press release] in an Egyptian criminal court on charges of money laundering, Attorney General Abdul Magid Mahmoud announced Wednesday. The members, including Muslim Brotherhood International Secretary General Ibrahim Munir, were referred to the Supreme State Security Emergency Court

Carrie Schimizzihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00966261928134558992noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-33185628911156126822010-04-21T13:14:00.022-04:002010-04-21T16:21:31.715-04:00

[JURIST] Human Rights Watch (HRW) [advocacy website] on Monday urged [press release] Kyrgyzstan's interim government to begin a comprehensive investigation into the violence [JURIST report] between April 6 and 8 that resulted in the overthrow of president Kurmanbek Bakiyev [BBC profile]. After conducting witness interviews and examining photo and video evidence, HRW concluded [report text] that

Michael Kraemernoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-82192039665169974602010-04-21T12:20:00.003-04:002010-04-21T13:57:40.056-04:00

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] on Wednesday ruled [opinion, PDF] in Perdue v. Kentucky [Cornell LII backgrounder; JURIST report] that calculation of an attorney's fee based on the lodestar may be increased due to superior performance, but only in extraordinary circumstances. The US Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit affirmed [opinion, PDF] the lower

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-64656881404538180792010-04-21T12:05:00.010-04:002010-04-21T15:25:45.674-04:00

[JURIST] Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva [official profile; JURIST news archive] announced Wednesday that he is prepared to negotiate with protesters once they cease their illegal conduct. Government spokesperson Panitan Wattanyagorn stated that the prime minister is willing to speak with protesters [BBC report] regarding an election and amending the constitution once protesters abide by

Haley Wojdowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08323890931571403393noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-2953134967891417902010-04-21T12:01:00.017-04:002010-04-21T16:04:18.095-04:00

[JURIST] US President Barack Obama [official website] said Wednesday that he will take into account a potential nominee's position on individual liberty, including women's rights, when nominating a Supreme Court justice. Speaking at a meeting with Senate leaders, Obama acknowledged that abortion [JURIST news archive] has been "a hugely contentious issue in our country for a very long time" and

David Maneshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16788805472590808583noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-89525894256094279502010-04-21T11:28:00.004-04:002010-04-21T12:19:59.387-04:00

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] on Wednesday ruled [opinion, PDF] 7-2 in Jerman v. Carlisle [Cornell LII backgrounder; JURIST report] that a debt collector's legal error does not qualify for the bona fide error defense under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act (FDCPA) [15 USC § 1692 text, PDF]. The US Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit ruled [opinion,

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-7962817736447628292010-04-21T10:55:00.003-04:002010-04-21T13:41:05.083-04:00

[JURIST] Eleven Philippines policemen and militia members pleaded not guilty Wednesday to murder charges for their involvement in the November 2009 massacre [CSM backgrounder; JURIST news archive] that left 57 dead. The arraignment [Manila Bulletin report] was held in Camp Bagong Diwa, which is also the headquarters of the National Capital Region Police Office (NCRPO) [official website]. The

Jay Carmellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05302975656949829244noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-74164528655586792332010-04-21T10:22:00.004-04:002010-04-21T16:31:23.371-04:00

[JURIST] A federal court in Argentina on Tuesday sentenced [verdict, PDF, in Spanish; CIJ report, in Spanish] former president and military general Reynaldo Bignone [JURIST news archive] to 25 years in prison for human rights abuses during the 1976-83 "Dirty War" [GlobalSecurity backgrounder; JURIST news archive]. Bignone served as de facto president from 1982 to 1983 and represents the last

Tara Tighehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09916234514261667818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-57038292268050521782010-04-21T10:15:00.004-04:002010-04-21T10:51:51.810-04:00

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] on Wednesday ruled [opinion, PDF] 5-3 in Conkright v. Frommert [Cornell LII backgrounder; JURIST report] that a district court has an obligation to defer to an Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA) [text] plan administrator's reasonable interpretation of the terms of the plan if the plan administrator arrived at the

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-27376335096600012692010-04-21T09:22:00.003-04:002010-04-21T12:34:08.752-04:00

[JURIST] A spokesperson for French President Nicolas Sarkozy [official website, in French; BBC profile] said Wednesday that the president is in favor of a complete public ban on the burqa [JURIST news archive] and other full face veils and will be submitting a bill to parliament in May. According to spokesperson Luc Chatel, Sarkozy wants the ban to be carried out in a way that doesn't stigmatize

Erin Bockhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17015837882886593895noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-33693898505175574222010-04-21T08:39:00.003-04:002010-04-21T10:03:40.614-04:00

[JURIST] The UK Supreme Court [official website] ruled [judgment, PDF] Wednesday that the country's sex offender registry [Guardian backgrounder] requirement violates the right to privacy. The case involved an appeal filed by two convicted sex offenders who challenged the notification requirement [legislative materials] of Section 82 of the 2003 Sexual Offences Act, which mandates indefinite

Brian Jacksonnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-73226669577618437012010-04-21T08:16:00.003-04:002010-04-21T13:38:40.093-04:00

[JURIST] Amnesty International (AI) [advocacy website] on Tuesday called for an investigation [public statement, PDF] into the deaths of 25 people during recent anti-government protests. The group stated that it would welcome a pledge by the Thai government to "investigate promptly, effectively, and impartially the recent violence," and urges it to "provide accountability for any violations by

Tara Tighehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09916234514261667818noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-35266807241353075262010-04-21T07:20:00.001-04:002010-04-21T09:06:41.165-04:00

[JURIST] British human rights lawyers on Monday submitted documents to a UK High Court that allege Britain allowed Afghan detainees to be tortured [press release] following their transfer to Afghanistan authorities. The documents were submitted by Public Interest Lawyers [advocacy website] on behalf of human rights and anti-war activist Maya Evans, who is seeking a judicial inquiry [CBC report]

Steve Czajkowskihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01836175957582468682noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-52948679908831150702010-04-20T15:59:00.005-04:002010-04-20T16:11:48.804-04:00

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website; JURIST news archive] heard oral arguments [day call, PDF; merit briefs] Tuesday in Dolan v. United States [oral arguments transcript, PDF; JURIST report] on whether a district court may enter a restitution order beyond the time limit prescribed in 18 USC § 3664(d)(5) [text]. The petitioner, Brian Dolan, attacked a hitchhiker and was ordered to pay

Jaclyn Belczykhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10531510092813386799noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-90383155881376037052010-04-20T14:44:00.002-04:002010-04-20T17:06:39.657-04:00

[JURIST] Russia's Constitutional Court [official website, in Russian] on Monday upheld [judgment text, in Russian] the practice of trying terrorism cases in the absence of juries. Several Russian citizens had challenged the constitutionality of certain provisions of the country's Criminal Procedure Code, which provided that criminal cases involving crimes under articles 205 (terrorist act), 278 (

Sarah Paulsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08472557676599573846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-32594599130611339532010-04-20T13:20:00.002-04:002010-04-20T16:40:44.130-04:00

[JURIST] The Chief Legal Counsel [official website] to the UN, Under-Secretary-General Patricia O'Brien [official profile, PDF], and Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister Sok An said Monday that the Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (ECCC) [official website] needs financial support from the international community. In a joint statement [text; UN News Centre report], O'Brien and Sok

Sarah Paulsworthhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08472557676599573846noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4079894.post-81513873058851768802010-04-20T12:05:00.004-04:002010-04-20T19:23:19.378-04:00

[JURIST] The International Court of Justice (ICJ) [official website] in The Hague ruled [judgment, PDF; case materials] Tuesday that Uruguay may continue operating a pulp mill on the River Uruguay despite breaching its treaty obligations to Argentina. The ICJ found that Uruguay did not breach its substantive obligation [press release, PDF] to Argentina to protect the environment under the 1975

Sarah Mileyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14481014236505918702noreply@blogger.com