Legal News

Suspect In Airport Security Breach Pleads Guilty

Haisong Jiang said he slipped under a rope barrier at Newark Airport to say goodbye to his girlfriend. The Jan. 3 breach led TSA to shut down the terminal for six hours, stranding thousands of passengers and costing airlines millions. Jiang agreed to pay a $500 fine, plus additional court costs, and perform 100 hours of community service.

In Florida, Gay Adoption May No Longer Be Banned

Florida is the only state with an outright ban against adoptions by gay people, but that may not be true for long. State courts have overruled Florida law in three cases and approved gay adoptions. The state, however, has appealed the court rulings and says it will continue to fight to uphold the law.

Producer Admits Trying To Shake Down Letterman

Robert "Joe" Halderman pleads guilty to attempted grand larceny in trying to shake down David Letterman over sexual affairs. Halderman's lawyers initially said he was just offering to sell Letterman a thinly veiled screenplay about the comedian's life.

Stolen Valor Offensive, But Is It Criminal?

The Stolen Valor Act of 2005 makes it a federal crime to claim unearned military honors. Attorney Jonathan Turley agrees that stolen valor is offensive, but argues that it's also constitutionally protected, and cannot be criminalized.

Voting Machine Maker Ordered To Sell Some Assets

The Justice Department is requiring the nation's largest voting machine company to sell off assets it acquired when it purchased its main competitor. The federal government and nine state attorneys general have filed a lawsuit saying the combination last September of Election Systems & Software and its biggest competitor harms competition.

High Court Will Hear Anti-Gay Funeral Protest Case

The Supreme Court has agreed to consider whether the message of anti-gay protesters who show up at military funerals with inflammatory slogans such as "Thank God for dead soldiers" is protected by the First Amendment.

Companies 'Named And Shamed' For Bad Behavior

Public humiliation has long been used as a deterrence mechanism for everything from adultery to drunken driving. Now judges in Massachusetts are ordering companies guilty of crimes that harm the community of publicly acknowledge their wrongdoings in newspaper ads. Critics say the practice is more retribution than deterrence, though.

White House Changes Course On Sept. 11 Trial

Rumors are swirling, based on reports from the White House, that officials are close to reaching a decision on a new location for admitted 9/11 conspirator Khalid Sheikh Mohammed.

School's Bid To Punish Off-Campus Acts Draws Suit

A New Jersey school district is being sued for disciplining students caught drinking at weekend parties. Opponents say it potentially violates students' constitutional rights to punish them at school for off-campus behavior that does not affect school safety.

U.S. Weighs Military Trials For 9/11 Suspects

The Obama administration is close to a decision to try the self-described mastermind of the 9/11 attacks in a military court. That would mark a major switch in policy. Late last year, the Justice Department announced Khalid Sheik Mohammed and four others would be tried in civilian court in New York City. The administration says no decision has been made yet.

Moving Sept. 11 Trial May Have Political Implications

The Obama administration has long argued that the self-proclaimed mastermind of the 2001 attacks should be tried in a civilian court, but now it is considering bringing Khalid Sheikh Mohammed before a military court. One expert says it's the president's latest communication misstep.

Tracing Rumor Of John Roberts' Retirement

Rumors of Chief Justice John Roberts' retirement from the Supreme Court spread Thursday like wildfire. The blog Above the Law traced the rumor back to a Georgetown law professor who was trying to teach his students the importance of using reliable sources. David Lat of Above the Law discusses how a simple college lesson spun out of control.

Court Weighs Suit Against Former Somali Leader

A group of Somali immigrants escaped imprisonment and torture to start new lives in the U.S. While here, they discovered that one of the men who headed the regime responsible for their suffering was also living here. The question before the Supreme Court: Can the Somalis sue their former captors?

Can Torture Victims Sue Their Tormentors?

The U.S. Supreme Court hears arguments on Wednesday in a case testing whether torture victims living in the United States may sue their tormentors, who also live here.

Chicago Handgun Ban In Jeopardy At Supreme Court

The justices are weighing a central question: Does the Second Amendment's right to bear arms trump local laws that restrict gun ownership? By the end of Tuesday's argument, it seemed the court would overturn Chicago's law, while still supporting strong gun regulations.