Chief Judge Cecilia M. Altonaga is still humbled by her appointment in 2003, becoming the first female Cuban American federal judge. In recognition of Hispanic Heritage Month, a new video profile explores Altonaga’s Cuban heritage, her pursuit of a career in law, and her family’s defection from Cuba.
Judiciary News – United States Courts… Read the rest
More than 300 students in Memphis, Tennessee, participated in candid conversations about the Constitution with federal judges and attorneys as part of Civics Day.
Judiciary News – United States Courts… Read the rest
Share
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.
A person held in state prison can challenge the constitutionality of their criminal conviction in federal court through a legal tool known as a writ of habeas corpus. Habeas relief is available to anyone “in custody,” which the Supreme Court has interpreted to mean not only physical confinement but also … Read the rest
A pair of malic acid decisions recently issued by Judge Coleman in the Northern District Court of Illinois reaffirmed that the statements “natural flavors with other natural flavors” and “no artificial flavors” receive different treatment under state false advertising laws, at least in that district.
In Boss v. Kraft Heinz Co., the plaintiffs alleged that Kraft Heinz’s MiO water-flavoring products contained synthetic malic acid, rendering false and misleading the claim “natural flavors with other natural flavors” on the products’ … Read the rest
Share
The Biden administration and a drug manufacturer on Friday night asked the Supreme Court to review a decision by a federal appeals court that would significantly restrict access to a drug used in medication abortions, which account for over half of all abortions performed in the United States. The filings created the prospect that the justices will weigh in on the issue of abortion for the first time since their decision last year in Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health … Read the rest
The first female Native American federal judge, Diane J. Humetewa is the subject of a new installment in the Pathways to the Bench video series in which judges talk about challenges they overcame on their way to service as a federal judge.
Judiciary News – United States Courts… Read the rest
Share
People given consecutive sentences under the federal law that imposes penalties for the use of a firearm in relation to a crime of violence or drug trafficking may now be entitled to a new sentencing hearing, thanks to the Supreme Court’s unanimous ruling Friday in Lora v. United States. The justices ruled that federal criminal sentencing laws do not require Efrain Lora, who was convicted for his role in a drug-trafficking-related murder, to receive multiple consecutive, rather than concurrent, … Read the rest
As a Japanese American, Judge Susan Oki Mollway never considered herself disadvantaged while growing up in the multicultural environment of Hawaii. So, she was surprised, when she was nominated to the federal bench in 1998, to learn she was the first Asian woman to serve as an Article III federal judge. In recognition of Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, a new video profile explores Mollway’s heritage.
Judiciary News – United States Courts… Read the rest