Legal News
Reports on lawmaking, constitutional issues, and court cases. The Daily Signal combines news reporting with conservative commentary and legal analysis.
-
opinion
The Ten Supreme Court Decisions This Year That Will Change America
With the Supreme Court on summer recess, it’s time to review the biggest cases of the October 2013 docket. SCOTUSblog’s “Stat Pack” notes that the Court this term had a high degree of unanimity and a relative lack of 5-4 decisions. But by margins both large and small, the court issued a number of important cases…. -
opinion
First Amendment Victory: Supreme Court Rules Against Union Taking Dues From Non-Members
Today the U.S. Supreme Court handed down an important victory for participants in home-health care programs. In a 5-4 decision authored by Justice Samuel Alito, the Court held in Harris v. Quinn that Illinois’ forced unionization scheme violated the First Amendment. The Supreme Court also criticized the practice of forced unionization for all government employees… -
news
Democracy’s Digital Forum: Twitter Reaction to #SCOTUS Ruling on Hobby Lobby
This morning, #SCOTUS (aka U.S. Supreme Court) went viral. As the high court handed down its decision on the Obamacare mandate, politicians, pundits and private citizens took to Twitter to spread the news. Since the announcement, democracy’s digital forum continues to explode with tweets about the decision. We curated a few below: HOBBY LOBBY WINS AT… -
opinion
Court: D.C. Can’t Require Tour Guides to Pass a Test
Tour guides no longer have to pass a test and pay a fee to lead visitors around the District of Columbia. This morning, the United States Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit ruled that requiring Segway sight-seeing tour guides to pay the $200 fee and pass a test violated the First Amendment. Segs in… -
opinion
Supreme Court Holds That Pro-Lifers Have First Amendment Rights, Too
In 2007, Massachusetts passed a law that prohibited anyone from knowingly entering or remaining on a “public way or sidewalk adjacent to a reproductive health care facility within a radius of 35 feet of any portion of an entrance, exit, or driveway…” In case it’s not obvious, this law was targeted at “sidewalk counselors” and… -
opinion
Supreme Court Fails to Rein in EPA
Contrary to headlines such as Fox News’ “Supreme Court limits EPA global warming rules,” the Supreme Court today ruled in favor of broad authority for the Environmental Protection Agency. In an important opinion, the court ensured the EPA will continue to use its authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate “global warming,” and industry will… -
news
Florida Supreme Court Rules Against Red-Light Cameras
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.—Opponents of red-light cameras just got a little help from some new friends—the Florida Supreme Court. But they shouldn’t get too excited. The high court ruled last week that Florida cities didn’t have the authority to use red-light cameras to ticket motorists prior to 2010, or until the state Legislature enacted laws specifically allowing them…. -
opinion
Was the California Teacher Tenure Decision Judicial Activism?
This week, in Vergara v. California, California Superior Court Judge Rolf Treu struck down five state laws governing teacher tenure, layoffs and dismissals as unconstitutional under the California constitution. The result of this ruling is certainly good for children in California, too many of whom are stuck in classrooms with “grossly ineffective” teachers. But was… -
opinion
Jilted Lovers and Unlimited Congressional Power: Another Day at the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court issued its decision in Bond v. United States, a much-awaited case that asked the question, as Justice Scalia cleverly put it in a different case: Can the Senate, the President, and, say, Zimbabwe conspire to pass laws that the Senate, the House, and the President cannot? In other words, does the Article…