Supreme Court

Elon Musk, internet freedom, and how the Supreme Court might force big tech into a catch-22

Elon Musk, internet freedom, and how the Supreme Court might force big tech into a catch-22

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“The bird is freed,” Elon Musk tweeted on the night he completed his $ 44 billion purchase of Twitter.

What he didn’t say is that a series of court cases may soon clip its wings.

A self-described free-speech absolutist, Musk has suggested he will loosen Twitter’s content-moderation rules, allow more objectionable speech to remain on the site, and reinstate some users who have been banned. Three days after reassuring advertisers that he won’t let Twitter become a “free-for-all hellscape,” he … Read the rest

Civil Law

Researchers look at reducing Salmonella risks for bulb onions

Research funded by the Center for Produce Safety (CPS) is hoping to identify production practices that may contribute to Salmonella contamination of bulb onions and steps growers can take to reduce food safety risks.

Salmonella on onions is a growing concern. This past year a Salmonella Oranienburg outbreak linked to whole, fresh onions imported from Mexico sickened more than 1,000 consumers. The outbreak came just a year after more than 1,000 consumers were sickened by Salmonella Newport from red onions.… Read the rest

Civil Law

Federal meat inspection has failed to adapt to operational environment

Editor’s note: This is the first of a four-part series.

I had two simultaneous careers: the U.S. Army Reserve and the USDA’s Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS). I graduated from the U.S. Army War College (USAWC) with a masters degree in Strategic Studies. I earned a bachelors of science, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, and masters in Veterinary Pathology with a minor in Meat Science. I participated in strategic planning on two general staffs. I was an Inspector-in-Charge in slaughter … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Jamaican green-card holder asks court to overrule precedent on “crimes involving moral turpitude”

Jamaican green-card holder asks court to overrule precedent on “crimes involving moral turpitude”

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The Petitions of the Week column highlights a selection of cert petitions recently filed in the Supreme Court. A list of all petitions we’re watching is available here.

In its 1951 decision in Jordan v. De George, the Supreme Court held that the term “crime involving moral turpitude” in federal immigration law is not unconstitutionally vague. The term lacks any statutory definition, however, and courts around the country have since struggled to apply it evenly and frequently … Read the rest

Civil Law

The federal agency won’t say if it sent a warning letter to makers of Jif peanut butter

The FDA won’t comment on a key element in its investigation into the conditions at a peanut butter plant linked to an outbreak of infections from Salmonella Senftenberg.

Warning letters are routinely sent to companies after inspections turn up deficiencies or illegal conditions at food facilities, especially if the problems are so severe that they result in the issuance of a 483 Form. The warning letters detail problems found at food facilities.

However, the Food and Drug Administration will not … Read the rest

Supreme Court

In habeas case, the liberal justices try to untangle a complex statute

In habeas case, the liberal justices try to untangle a complex statute

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On Tuesday, the court heard argument in Jones v. Hendrix, a case that exemplifies the Gordian knot that is the federal habeas corpus statute.

As I discussed in my case preview, the underlying problem the case presents is weighty: The petitioner, Marcus DeAngelo Jones, was convicted at trial of being a felon in possession of a firearm in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 922(g) and sentenced to more than 27 years’ incarceration. Two decades into his prison term, … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Affirmative action appears in jeopardy after marathon arguments

Affirmative action appears in jeopardy after marathon arguments

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In 2003, a divided Supreme Court ruled in Grutter v. Bollinger that the University of Michigan Law School could consider race in its admissions process as part of its efforts to assemble a diverse student body. In her opinion for the majority, now-retired Justice Sandra Day O’Connor suggested that, in 25 years, “the use of racial preferences will no longer be necessary to further the interest approved today.” But during nearly five hours of oral arguments on Monday, the … Read the rest