Topic: Neal Katyal

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In Wal-Mart case and health care law, a presumption of guilt

The dissenting opinion in the Wal-Mart sex-discrimination ruling presumes male managers are guilty of bias. And in the health care law, an assumption of guilt about people not paying medical bills lies behind the mandate to buy insurance.
Health-care battle: A third US appeals court weighs law's constitutionality

Lawyers representing 26 states square off Wednesday against the Obama administration. Both sides bring top legal talent to the appeal of a ruling by a federal judge in Florida who invalidated the entire health-care law.
Supreme Court declines to hear 'So help me God' lawsuit

Michael Newdow, whose previous First Amendment challenge sought to strike 'under God' from the Pledge of Allegiance, tried to block the use of 'So help me God' in the inauguration ceremony.
Supreme Court refuses terror suspects' case alleging CIA torture

US Supreme Court on Monday declined to hear the case of five foreigners seeking to pursue a lawsuit alleging CIA-directed torture abroad. With that, appeals court ruling stands, disallowing the suit to protect 'state secrets.'
Appeals court: Is health-care reform like broccoli?

Attorneys challenging Obama's health-care reform law said that Congress cannot 'force us to buy a private product and say it is for our own good,' whether health insurance or broccoli.
Obama's health-care reform law faces new test in appeals court

Two cases challenging the constitutionality of the health-care reform law arrive Tuesday for oral argument at the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va.
Supreme Court says no to expedited hearing on health-care reform law

Virginia’s attorney general had asked the Supreme Court to bypass the usual appeals process by allowing his state's challenge to the Obama health-care reform law to proceed directly to the high court.
Supreme Court wary of empowering judges to order greenhouse gas cuts

A lawsuit asking a federal judge to order big power companies to cut greenhouse gases, because the emissions are a public nuisance, got a skeptical reception Tuesday at the Supreme Court.
Who can force utilities to cut greenhouse gases? Supreme Court to decide.

The Supreme Court hears a case Tuesday about greenhouse gases and global warming. Case could open the way for states and citizen groups to battle the threat of global warming via judicial order.
Supreme Court: Is US unfairly hiding behind state-secrets privilege?

Since 1953, the US has been able to derail lawsuits it says could reveal state secrets. The Supreme Court will look at a case Tuesday that questions whether the privilege is being applied properly.
Supreme Court: Did it just hint at stance on a health-care law challenge?

The Supreme Court refused to take up a case examining Congress's authority under the commerce clause, a key issue in a legal challenge to Obama's health-care law. Two justices dissented.
Arizona illegal immigrant employment law before Supreme Court

A 2007 Arizona law revokes the license of businesses that knowingly employ an illegal immigrant. The Supreme Court is considering whether the statute is preempted by federal law.
Religious schools, government money? Supreme Court hears Arizona case.

The Supreme Court must decide if an Arizona program that gives tax credits for private school donations favors religion, or if participants in the program are just exercising personal choice.
Advocacy groups won't get Supreme Court's ear on campaign finance

US Supreme Court declined Monday to examine whether nonprofit political advocacy groups can enjoy less stringent campaign finance rules that corporations and labor unions now do.
Supreme Court to hear Ashcroft appeal of US Muslim's detention

A lower court has allowed a suit by an American Muslim, detained without charge in 2003 as a material witness, to proceed against former Attorney General John Ashcroft. The Supreme Court says it will consider Ashcroft's appeal.
Supreme Court weighs need for background checks for NASA scientists

Top scientists at a NASA lab say government background checks aren't necessary and violate their right to privacy. At a Supreme Court hearing Tuesday, justices questioned their position.
Supreme Court refuses Maher Arar torture case

The US Supreme Court declined to take the case of Canadian citizen Maher Arar, who alleged that US officials deported him to Syria in 2002 knowing he would be tortured during terrorism interrogations.
Supreme Court takes up 'sexting' privacy case

The Supreme Court heard arguments Monday in the case of a California police officer who sued when records from his department-issued pager were submitted to internal affairs. He had used the pager for sending sexually explicit text messages, or 'sexting.'
Supreme Court appears split on tackling rogue prosecutors

The Supreme Court Wednesday heard arguments in a lawsuit brought by two Iowa men who spent 25 in prison after prosecutors allegedly fabricated evidence against them. Justices seemed divided on the issue of how much immunity prosecutors should enjoy.
Supreme Court questions animal cruelty law

Are dog-fighting videos free speech? Supreme Court justices Tuesday heard a case challenging a federal law covering depictions of animal cruelty.
Supreme Court weighs fairness of landmark voting rights law

Justices heard arguments Wednesday about whether a provision of the Voting Rights Act unfairly discriminates against jurisdictions in 16 states.
Despite gaffe, Supreme Court won't revisit landmark child-rape ruling

Five justices footnote their June opinion about a 'national consensus' against using the death penalty for child rapists.
Judge allows Hamdan military trial to go forward

It's a win for the Bush administration, which insists that Guantánamo proceedings are necessary to fight the war on terror.
Terrorism & Security
Investigation: In Afghanistan, routine abuse of terror detainees

An eight-month review by McClatchy newspapers says the US wrongfully imprisoned many suspected Al Qaeda terrorists.