Law

Challenge To Michigan's Gay Marriage Ban Grows From Adoption Case

1:36pm March 07, 2013

by Rick Pluta

A federal judge could rule as soon as Thursday in the case, which comes as the U.S. Supreme Court is also set to deal with gay marriage later this month. In Michigan, a lesbian couple sued because the state bans same-sex couples from adopting kids. Then, the judge invited them to go even further.

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Manslaughter Charges Upgraded In Florida A&M Hazing Case

6:20pm March 05, 2013

by Kathy Lohr

Twelve former members of the Florida A&M marching band are charged in the hazing death of drum major Robert Champion. The charges have now been upgraded to manslaughter. Champion's parents said Tuesday that they are encouraged by the stiffer charges.

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O'Connor served on the Supreme Court of the United States from 1981 to 2006.

Books
Arts

'Out Of Order' At The Court: O'Connor On Being The First Female Justice

4:15pm March 05, 2013

Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman to serve on the U.S. Supreme Court, discusses her new book about the history of the court, and why she doesn't like the term "swing vote." O'Connor served for 24 years, retiring in 2006 to care for her ailing husband.

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Mapping The Effects Of The Sequester On Science

1:03pm March 01, 2013

On Friday March 1, automatic cuts known as the 'sequester' go into effect across the federal budget. Michael Lubell of the American Physical Society discusses what scientific programs will likely be affected, in fields from medical research to renewable energy development.

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National

Administration Asks Supreme Court To End Calif. Gay-Marriage Ban

8:47am March 01, 2013

by Nina Totenberg

The case before the court tests the constitutionality of a California referendum, narrowly passed by voters in 2008, that reinstituted a ban on gay marriage. The U.S. is calling on the court to declare the California law unconstitutional, a violation of the principle of equal protection.

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National

Obama Administration Brief Doesn't Call For End To Bans On Gay Marriage

7:29pm February 28, 2013

The Obama administration filed a friend-of-the-court brief Thursday urging the Supreme Court to overturn California's Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage. But the brief does not call for abolition of bans on same-sex marriage across the country. Nina Totenberg talks to Audie Cornish.

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Attorney General Eric Holder speaks before a meeting of the National Association of Attorneys General on Tuesday.

Justice Department Warns Of 'Pain' From Looming Cuts

6:30pm February 28, 2013

by Carrie Johnson

The Obama administration warns that the situation looks ugly for the department under the sequester. But for now, the most alarming claims — that prosecutors will drop cases and criminals will walk free — seem to be just that: alarms.

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National

Obama Administration To File Brief Urging Supreme Court To Strike Down Prop. 8

6:30pm February 28, 2013

The Obama administration is set to file a friend-of-the-court brief Thursday urging the Supreme Court to overturn California's Proposition 8, which banned gay marriage. Nina Totenberg talks to Audie Cornish.

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Plaintiffs accuse Anheuser-Busch of misleading consumers about the alcohol content in Bud Light, Budweiser and other products. The brewer denies the claims.

National

Budweiser May Seem Watery, But It Tests At Full Strength, Lab Says

3:14pm February 28, 2013

Class-action lawsuits accuse Anheuser-Busch of watering down Budweiser and other beers and then misleading consumers about their alcohol content. The company denies the claims; in tests commissioned by NPR, samples of Budweiser were found to be in line with their advertised alcohol content.

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The Conservative Case For Same-Sex Marriage

11:15am February 27, 2013

Dozens of Republicans signed an amicus brief to the Supreme Court in support of gay marriage, just weeks before the Court is expected to hear arguments on a case challenging the legality of the Defense of Marriage Act. Some say this represents a significant shift within the Republican Party.

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