Law

National

Judge Who Struck Down Proposition 8 Knew Case Would Go Far

9:25pm June 29, 2013

by Nina Totenberg

Retired federal Judge Vaughn Walker set the California gay marriage ban on its way to the Supreme Court with his ruling in 2010. On Wednesday, the high court kept his decision intact. Walker shares his insight into the justices' strategy and the controversy he's waded through as a gay judge.

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Field director Charles White of the NAACP speaks at a podium outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday. The court ruled that a key part of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional.

National

Legalese Aside, How Do We Talk About Race Nowadays?

7:07pm June 29, 2013

by NPR Staff

The news this week has put race on America's brain. There were the Supreme Court decisions, the trial of George Zimmerman and the downfall of celebrity chef Paula Deen. But the country is still fumbling through persistent inequality, even in the absence of overt prejudice.

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Miami Public Service Aide Tatayana Harris enters information into her laptop after clearing an accident in Miami's Little Havana community. Harris has been a Miami Police PSA for five years and hopes to become a police officer.

National

Police Take Different Approaches To 'The Tyranny Of 911'

9:22pm June 28, 2013

by NPR Staff

Most people know to phone 911 in an emergency, but police departments are often overwhelmed by the sheer volume of calls. Some cities use 311 lines to help divert non-emergency requests, while Miami dispatches a group of unarmed public servants to tackle many non-urgent situations.

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National

Same-Sex Marriages Resume In California

9:22pm June 28, 2013

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted its injunction on gay marriages in California on Friday. They'd been on hold while the challenges to Proposition 8 worked their way through the appeals process.

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Detection Dogs And The Law: The Right To Sniff And Seize

3:31pm June 28, 2013

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on two cases involving detector dogs and the limits of reasonable search and seizure. Surrounding the cases are larger questions about the effectiveness of detector dogs and the legal questions that arise when they are used for law enforcement.

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Reactions To Gay-Marriage Rulings Run The Gamut

10:43am June 28, 2013

by Richard Gonzales

In two rulings on Wednesday, the Supreme Court struck down the Defense of Marriage Act and cleared the way for same-sex marriages to begin again in California. There were celebrations after the rulings were announced, but others did not welcome the news.

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Feds Sue Jon Corzine Over MF Global Collapse

7:13am June 28, 2013

by Jim Zarroli

Federal regulators have filed civil charges against former New Jersey Governor Jon Corzine in connection with the failure of his commodities firm, MF Global. The government says Corzine failed to stop the firm from dipping into customer funds during a financial crisis in October 2011.

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National

Gay Military Spouses To Benefit From Supreme Court Ruling

5:01am June 27, 2013

by Larry Abramson

Gay spouses of service members have long been denied the substantial benefits available to heterosexual couples. Now, Wednesday's Supreme Court ruling that struck down the Defense of Marriage Act means gay married couples can look forward to more equal treatment from the Pentagon.

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Supreme Court Frees 9 States From Voting Laws Oversight

11:13am June 26, 2013

by Nina Totenberg

The Supreme Court struck down part of the 1965 Voting Rights Act by a vote to 5-4 on Tuesday. It essentially shifts the burden of fighting off voting discrimination from the government to minority voters.

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Voting Rights Ruling By Supreme Court Draws Mixed Reactions

11:13am June 26, 2013

by Pam Fessler

Voting rights groups and others reacted strongly to Tuesday's Supreme Court ruling that struck down part of the Voting Rights Act. It had required all or part of 15 states to get Justice Department approval for any voting law changes.

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