A judge for the Muscogee (Creek) Nation in Oklahoma ruled in favor of citizenship for two descendants of Black slaves once owned by tribal members, potentially paving the way for hundreds of other descendants known as freedmen. District Judge Denette Mouser, based in the tribe’s headquarters in Okmulgee, ruled late …
Read More »Supreme Court hears if faith-based counseling on gender identity is protected speech
The Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a closely watched case about whether counseling services for minors facing gender identity and sexual orientation questions are protected by the First Amendment. Kaley Chiles, a licensed Christian therapist, argues her conversations with youth clients are a form of protected speech. The Colorado …
Read More »Man linked to Hamas attack on Israel indicted in Louisiana for conspiring to support terrorist group
A suspect in Hamas’ October 2023 terror attack against Israel that sparked a two-year war between the two sides has been formally charged in federal court. Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub al-Muhtadi, who has been living in Louisiana, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Lafayette for conspiring to support a …
Read More »DOJ argues judge's decision blocking Mahmoud Khalil's removal was 'indefensible'
A Department of Justice lawyer argued to an appeals court on Tuesday that a lower court’s decision to block activist Mahmoud Khalil’s detention and removal was “fundamentally flawed” and should be reversed. DOJ lawyer Drew Ensign’s arguments came as he faced pointed questions during a hearing from the U.S. Court …
Read More »Former New York state trooper sentenced to 6 months in prison after faking his own shooting: 'disgraceful'
A former New York state trooper was sentenced on Wednesday to six months behind bars after he shot himself in the leg and falsely claimed that he was wounded by an unknown gunman. Thomas Mascia pleaded guilty in May to falsely reporting an incident, tampering with physical evidence and official …
Read More »Trump team urges Oregon judge to end restraining order blocking National Guard
The Trump administration urged a federal judge during a hearing in Oregon on Friday to terminate a restraining order and clear the way for the government to deploy National Guard troops in Portland. The administration argued to Judge Karin Immergut that a higher court had already greenlit President Donald Trump’s …
Read More »9th Circuit court rules on Trump's National Guard deployment in Portland
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday ruled that President Donald Trump can deploy Oregon National Guard troops into the city of Portland, delivering a significant victory to the Trump administration as it continues its effort to send federal forces into Democratic-led cities despite a string of recent …
Read More »Federal judge strikes down Biden-era transgender regulation
A federal judge struck down a Biden-era rule that expanded federal anti-discrimination measures to transgender healthcare, writing that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) “exceeded its authority by implementing regulations redefining sex discrimination and prohibiting gender identity discrimination.” The ruling from Judge Louis Guirola Jr. of the U.S. …
Read More »Federal judges acknowledge court ruling errors tied to staffers’ AI use after Grassley inquiry
Two federal judges admitted that members of their staff used artificial intelligence to prepare court orders over the summer that contained errors. The admissions, which came from U.S. District Judge Julien Xavier Neals in New Jersey and U.S. District Judge Henry Wingate in Mississippi, came in response to an inquiry …
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