Law

The Supreme Court opens its new term this week.

Despite Shutdown, Supreme Court Opens Its Doors For New Term

11:09am October 07, 2013

by Nina Totenberg

The docket this year has nothing quite as riveting as last year's same-sex marriage cases, or the challenge to President Obama's health care overhaul from the term before. But once again, the court is facing hot-button social issues and questions of presidential and congressional power.

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Herman Wallace (left) and his legal team discuss his trip home to New Orleans after his release from prison on Tuesday. Wallace died on Friday.

National

Angola 3 Inmate Tastes Brief, 'Bittersweet' Freedom

6:36pm October 05, 2013

by Arun Rath

Herman Wallace was released from prison in Louisiana on Tuesday after more than 40 years in solitary confinement. A judge overturned his conviction on the grounds that Wallace had been denied a fair trial. Wallace died just three days later.

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National

Calif. Bans Jilted Lovers From Posting 'Revenge Porn' Online

12:08pm October 03, 2013

by Laura Sydell

After a breakup, some have taken to posting intimate pictures of their ex on the Internet. California's new law punishes those who do, but some critics say the law isn't specific enough and could inhibit free speech.

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A sign warns would-be buyers at the Annapolis Gun Show in Annapolis, Md., in September of the state's pending gun control law. The new law, which took effect Tuesday, bans the purchase of many types of assault rifles.

National

New Maryland Firearms Law Rides In On A Wave Of Gun Sales

8:05pm October 01, 2013

by Jacob Fenston

Gun sellers in the state say they couldn't keep their shelves stocked in the days leading up to the implementation of the law, which takes effect Tuesday. The legislation requires gun buyers to be fingerprinted, limits bullet purchases and bans the sale of many assault weapons.

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National

Justice Department Sues North Carolina Over Voter ID Law

5:16pm September 30, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

The lawsuit takes aim at provisions that limit early voting periods and require a government photo ID as an illegal form of discrimination against minorities at the ballot box, according to a person briefed on the Justice Department's plans.

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BP Oil Spill Trial To Begin Second Phase

11:16am September 28, 2013

The months-long federal trial is examining how much fault should be placed on BP and its contractors for the 2010 Deepwater Horizon explosion. The accident killed 11 rig workers and released almost 5 million barrels of oil into the Gulf of Mexico. Host Scott Simon speaks with NPR's Debbie Elliott to preview the civil trial.

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Law professor Lawrence Lessig, shown here in 2009, is suing an Australian record label for threatening to sue him over an alleged YouTube copyright violation.

Record Label Picks Copyright Fight — With The Wrong Guy

5:32pm September 27, 2013

by Laura Sydell

Lawrence Lessig was not pleased when Liberation Music persuaded YouTube to take down one of his online lectures because of an alleged copyright violation. So Lessig, one of the most famous copyright attorneys in the world, decided to take a stand against broad, intimidating takedown notices.

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National

Dear Lawyers: Order In The &*%# Court!

1:33pm September 27, 2013

by Tanya Ballard Brown

Some attorneys have gotten nasty and others want it to stop. In New York, a group has decided to tackle the decrease in civility through song.

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Jonah Engle has written for Foreign Policy, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution and The New York City Independent.

Big Pharma And Meth Cooks Agree: Keep Cold Meds Over The Counter

5:11pm September 26, 2013

In 2006, Oregon successfully made pseudoephedrine, a key ingredient of meth, a prescription drug. Since then, Mother Jones' Jonah Engle reports, 24 states have tried to follow suit — and 23 have failed. Engle attributes those failures to pharmaceutical companies' massive lobbying efforts.

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Some reputation management companies required that its writers have a certain number of Yelp friends. Yelp says it welcomed the New York attorney general's crackdown on fake reviewers.

Fake Reviewers Get Zero Stars From New York Attorney General

12:04pm September 25, 2013

by Laura Sydell

Nineteen companies agreed to pay more than $350,000 in penalties to settle accusations that they wrote or bought phony online reviews of their products, services or restaurants.

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