Legal News
Reports on lawmaking, constitutional issues, and court cases. The Daily Signal combines news reporting with conservative commentary and legal analysis.
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- News
New Jersey AG Violated Pregnancy Center’s Free Association by Demanding Donor Info, Supreme Court Says
The Supreme Court delivered a unanimous rebuke to New Jersey Democrat Attorney General Matthew Platkin for his demand that a pro-life pregnancy center hand over its donor information. Platkin had issued a subpoena to First Choice Women’s Resource Centers, seeking to prove that the pregnancy center was misleading donors. The Supreme Court cited NAACP v….Tyler O’Neil -
- News
SCOTUS Issues Redistricting Ruling That Could Impact Midterms
The Supreme Court ruled 6-3 that a Louisiana congressional district’s boundaries relied too much on race, in a redistricting case that could impact which party controls Congress in the years ahead. The district is represented by Rep. Cleo Fields, a Democrat. During arguments, Chief Justice John Roberts said the district was drawn like a “snake,”…Fred Lucas -
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SCOTUS Skeptical of Lawsuit Accusing Cisco of Aiding China’s Torture of Falun Gong
A majority of justices, though sympathetic, seemed reluctant to allow members of the Falun Gong movement to sue a U.S. tech firm they accused of assisting the Chinese communist government of “aiding and abetting” in torture. In the case of Cisco v. Doe, the Supreme Court is considering a lower court’s ruling that would have…Fred Lucas -
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Mehek Cooke: Trump Assassination Attempt Was Not Just a Security Failure. It Was a National Warning.
The Daily Signal’s Senior National Security and Legal Analyst Mehek Cooke said the attempted assassination of President Donald Trump should be treated as a clear, intentional act of political violence and a warning sign of a broader national security crisis. In an appearance Monday on NewsNation’s “Katie Pavlich Tonight,” Cooke addressed the legal consequences facing…Mehek Cooke -
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Report: James Comey Indicted Again
Former FBI Director James Comey was indicted for a second time, CNN first reported on Tuesday. The Justice Department confirmed the indictment later Tuesday afternoon in a press conference. “A grand jury sitting in the Eastern District of North Carolina returned an indictment against James Comey on two counts. The first count is that on…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Thomas: Can Virginians Count on a Simple Reading of the Law?
The Virginia Supreme Court on Monday heard arguments from Republican plaintiffs and Democrat defendants regarding the legality of the April 21 redistricting referendum. The issue before the court is the process the General Assembly used to approve a special election for redrawing the commonwealth’s congressional districts. The Supreme Court heard two challenges. The first case…Joe Thomas -
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Justices Push Back on Claim That Google Geofence Warrants Are Unconstitutional
Most justices seemed unconvinced Monday that law enforcement’s use of Google data to track a bank robber violates the Constitution. The case stemmed from the prosecution of Okello Chatrie, who conditionally pleaded guilty in 2022 to robbing a Midlothian, Virginia, credit union. He reserved his right to make the case for suppressing evidence if it…Fred Lucas -
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Supreme Court Punts on Parental Rights Case of School District Concealing Gender Transition
The Supreme Court on Monday opted not to hear a gender secrecy case out of Florida, in which parents objected to a policy that kept their child’s school from informing them of a gender transition. The case involves the School Board of Leon County, Florida, which in 2018 said that when students informed their school’s…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Monsanto v. Durnell Could Hand Pesticide Manufacturers Sweeping Liability Protections
Across the country, lawmakers and industry groups are pushing to make it harder to sue pesticide manufacturers when their products fail to adequately warn consumers about risks or how to protect themselves when using these chemicals. That debate between consumers and industry has now found its way to the Supreme Court. On April 27, the…Judy Lopez -
- Opinion
Clarence Thomas’ Great Speech on the Declaration
Many speeches will be delivered this year about the Declaration of Independence as we celebrate its 250th birthday. However, I think the greatest was just delivered by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas on April 15 at the Civitas Institute at the University of Texas, Austin. The force of Thomas’ words does not just result from his deep…Star Parker -
- Opinion
ALITO: A Fitting Tribute to the Justice Who Overturned Roe v. Wade
As rumors swirl that Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito might retire at the end of this term, allowing President Donald Trump to name his replacement before the 2026 midterm elections, the justice could not have wished for a better send-off than Mollie Hemingway’s masterful and well-researched biography. “Alito: The Justice Who Reshaped the Supreme Court…Tyler O’Neil -
- News
Double Court Victories for Trump on ICE and ‘Alligator Alcatraz’
The Trump administration scored two legal victories this week in combating illegal immigration. Appeals courts cleared the way for building a Florida immigration detention center that President Donald Trump calls “Alligator Alcatraz” and halted a California law requiring agents with Immigration and Customs Enforcement to unmask. The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday…Fred Lucas -
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Trump Campaign Aide Wins DOJ Settlement After FBI Surveillance in Russia Probe
The Justice Department reached a settlement with Carter Page, a 2016 Trump campaign aide targeted for surveillance as part of a federal investigation into alleged collusion with Russia. The Associated Press cited a person familiar with the matter who requested anonymity in saying the settlement was for $1.25 million. The Justice Department’s filing to the…Fred Lucas -
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Why It Could Be Bad News for Immigrants If Trump Admin Loses This SCOTUS Case
In a case over the removal of a Chinese national with a green card and criminal charges, a majority of Supreme Court justices appeared to lean toward the Trump administration Wednesday but pressed the government for clarity. The plaintiff in the case suing to block his removal is Muk Choi Lau, a Chinese national charged…Fred Lucas -
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Not the Usual 6-3: Supreme Court Clears Way for Lawsuit Over Suicide Bombing
The Supreme Court had another 6-3 ruling in deciding that a veteran wounded by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan could sue a military contractor. In an unusual twist, however, the court’s three liberals—Justices Sonia Sotomayor, Elena Kagan, and Ketanji Brown Jackson—joined Justice Clarence Thomas in the majority opinion on Wednesday. The case largely addressed whether…Fred Lucas -
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DEI Not Dead as Top Law Firms Profited From Equity Audits
Diversity, equity, and inclusion policies may only look dead in corporate America, as high-priced racial equity audits for some of the largest firms have become a lucrative industry for Democrat-leaning law firms, a watchdog group noted. Two former attorneys general under the Obama administration—Eric Holder and Loretta Lynch—have led their respective firms’ efforts on the…Fred Lucas -
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SCOTUS to Hear Immigration Case on Green Card Holders Charged With Crimes
The Supreme Court will hear arguments on Wednesday regarding removal proceedings against an immigrant legally in the United States, charged with counterfeiting. The case has the potential to affect the operations of Customs and Border Protection, Immigration and Customs Enforcement, and immigration courts, said Art Arthur, resident fellow in law and policy at the Center…Fred Lucas -
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FBI Targeting Republicans Went Deeper Than ‘Arctic Frost,’ New Documents Show
The Biden Justice Department’s data collection on political opponents was more expansive than initially thought, according to documents released Tuesday by the Senate Judiciary Committee. Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, the committee’s chairman, on Tuesday published documents revealing “Operation Rampart Twelve,” a Biden-era investigation that targeted Republican members of Congress including Sens. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin and Eric…Fred Lucas -
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‘Toothless’ or Unconstitutional? SCOTUS Hears Case on FCC’s $100M Fines on Verizon, AT&T
Most Supreme Court justices seemed to side with the government against a claim by telecom giants that the Federal Communications Commission violated the companies’ right to a jury trial by issuing fines. Justices heard arguments Tuesday in a case involving AT&T and Verizon and more than $100 million in fines that the government argues are…Fred Lucas -
- Opinion
Climate Lawfare Suffers Major Defeat at the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court on Friday unanimously struck down a bizarre effort at climate lawfare, which aimed to penalize Chevron for its role in boosting the U.S. war effort against the Nazis and Imperial Japan in World War II. The ruling is good news for sanity, but it also sets an important precedent for the Left’s…Tyler O’Neil