A federal appeals court on Tuesday struck down Maryland’s handgun licensing law, finding that its requirements, which include submitting fingerprints for a background check and taking a four-hour firearms safety course, are unconstitutionally restrictive. In a 2-1 ruling, judges on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond said …
Read More »Why injured Grand Canyon hiker left by 'friends' cannot sue them for what they did
flash Video The following column was first published on the author’s website Res Ispa Loquitur When I teach torts at George Washington University Law School, we discuss the “no duty to rescue” doctrine. Under the common law, you are not legally required to assist a person in peril if you …
Read More »Florida extends record executions with date set for man who fatally stabbed couple during robbery
A Florida man who fatally stabbed a married couple during a robbery is scheduled to be executed next month, which could extend the state’s record number of inmates put to death in a single year. Victor Tony Jones, 64, is scheduled to be killed Sept. 30 at Florida State Prison …
Read More »Supreme Court hears if faith-based counseling on gender identity is protected speech
The Supreme Court heard arguments Tuesday in a closely watched case about whether counseling services for minors facing gender identity and sexual orientation questions are protected by the First Amendment. Kaley Chiles, a licensed Christian therapist, argues her conversations with youth clients are a form of protected speech. The Colorado …
Read More »Man linked to Hamas attack on Israel indicted in Louisiana for conspiring to support terrorist group
A suspect in Hamas’ October 2023 terror attack against Israel that sparked a two-year war between the two sides has been formally charged in federal court. Mahmoud Amin Ya’qub al-Muhtadi, who has been living in Louisiana, was indicted by a federal grand jury in Lafayette for conspiring to support a …
Read More »DOJ argues judge's decision blocking Mahmoud Khalil's removal was 'indefensible'
A Department of Justice lawyer argued to an appeals court on Tuesday that a lower court’s decision to block activist Mahmoud Khalil’s detention and removal was “fundamentally flawed” and should be reversed. DOJ lawyer Drew Ensign’s arguments came as he faced pointed questions during a hearing from the U.S. Court …
Read More »Alabama death row inmate insists innocence, urges governor to meet him before nitrogen-gas execution
An Alabama death row inmate, who insists he is an “innocent man,” asked Republican Gov. Kay Ivey to meet with him before the state puts him to death later this week. Anthony Boyd, 53, is scheduled to be executed on Thursday evening by nitrogen gas at the William C. Holman …
Read More »Former New York state trooper sentenced to 6 months in prison after faking his own shooting: 'disgraceful'
A former New York state trooper was sentenced on Wednesday to six months behind bars after he shot himself in the leg and falsely claimed that he was wounded by an unknown gunman. Thomas Mascia pleaded guilty in May to falsely reporting an incident, tampering with physical evidence and official …
Read More »Trump team urges Oregon judge to end restraining order blocking National Guard
The Trump administration urged a federal judge during a hearing in Oregon on Friday to terminate a restraining order and clear the way for the government to deploy National Guard troops in Portland. The administration argued to Judge Karin Immergut that a higher court had already greenlit President Donald Trump’s …
Read More »9th Circuit court rules on Trump's National Guard deployment in Portland
The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals on Monday ruled that President Donald Trump can deploy Oregon National Guard troops into the city of Portland, delivering a significant victory to the Trump administration as it continues its effort to send federal forces into Democratic-led cities despite a string of recent …
Read More »