US District Court news stories on Newser

Judge: Yeah, I Sent Racist Obama Email

Polly Davis Doig — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 13:28:27 CST

It always seems like a good idea at the time: Open stupid email forward at work, guffaw under your breath, forward it on to a couple of buddies. Except when you're a federal judge. On your official email. And the content of the email takes a not-so-subtle racist jab at...

Prop 8 May Go to Supreme Court—This Week

Sarah Quinn — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 09:41:00 CDT

It has always seemed likely that the Proposition 8 case would end up before the Supreme Court—and it could happen as early as this week, Jesse McKinley writes in the New York Times . Judge Walker last week gave the 9th US Circuit Court of Appeals until Wednesday to review...

Prop 8 Ruling Tough for Supreme Court to Overturn

Kevin Spak — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 07:17:18 CDT

Judge Vaughn Walker’s masterfully written ruling striking down Proposition 8 “was written for a court of one,” namely Anthony Kennedy, writes Dahlia Lithwick of Slate . Walker quotes extensively from Kennedy’s own findings (see Quotes, left), and his “findings of fact” section “knits together the trial evidence … to the nerves...

Apple Sues HTC for Aping iPhone

Kevin Spak — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 11:05:33 CST

Apple has filed a lawsuit against HTC, one of its biggest competitors in the smartphone market, saying it infringed on 20 iPhone-related patents. “We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it,” Steve Jobs said in a statement. “Competitors should create...

Try 9/11 Mastermind in Washington

Harry Kimball — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 14:16:00 CST

New York doesn’t want the trial of accused 9/11 mastermind Khalid Sheik Mohammed to take place in lower Manhattan, so bring the proceedings to the nation’s capital, writes Thomas Penfield Jackson. After all, “KSM’s crimes were committed against the entire nation,” so a trial in Washington is only “fitting,” contends...

Judge Hearing Prop 8 Case Is Gay

Harry Kimball — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:21:36 CST

The judge who will rule on the constitutionality of California’s gay marriage ban is gay. Vaughn Walker, who drew the assignment at random, has a reputation as a conservative and libertarian. Gay activists say his sexual orientation isn't an issue, but a rep for the group that sponsored the anti-gay-marriage...

Microsoft Can't Sell Word: Judge

Harry Kimball — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 14:02:02 CDT

A Texas district court judge has ruled in favor of a Canadian software company and issued an injunction barring Microsoft from selling copies of its Word program, which can read and write XML files, the Seattle Post-Intelligencer reports. XML capability is central to Microsoft Word; i4i claims the company infringed...

Judge: US Must Reveal Charges Vs. Gitmo Prisoners

Mon, 01 Jun 2009 14:15:31 CDT

A federal judge today ordered the US to publicly reveal unclassified versions of its allegations and evidence justifying the continued imprisonment of more than 100 detainees being held at Guantanamo Bay. The Justice Department had been filing unclassified versions of its legal documents under seal, so that they could only...

For Sessions, Confirmation Hearings May Feel Familiar

Katherine Thompson — Wed, 06 May 2009 10:20:00 CDT

Even if Al Franken is seated, President Obama's Supreme Court nominee isn't guaranteed an easy confirmation process. The reason is Jeff Sessions, the Alabama Republican who inherited Arlen Specter's seat on the Senate Judiciary Committee. The fiery Sessions knows the committee well: It blocked his bid to become a federal...