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Supreme Court

Court expands government’s ability to deport noncitizens for offenses related to obstruction of justice

Federal immigration law requires the deportation of noncitizens who are convicted of an aggravated felony, which includes offenses “relating to obstruction of justice.” By a vote of 6-3, the Supreme Court ruled on Thursday in Pugin v. Garland that an offense can relate to the obstruction of justice even if an investigation or proceeding is not pending. Justice Brett Kavanaugh wrote for the majority, in a decision joined by Chief Justice Roberts and Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito, Amy … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Justices take up case on federal admiralty law, seek government’s views on two pending petitions

The Supreme Court on Monday morning added a maritime law case to its docket for the 2023-24 term and invited the federal government to submit briefs expressing its views in two more cases. Both announcements came on an otherwise quiet order list released from the justices’ conference on Friday, March 3.

The justices granted review in Great Lakes Insurance SE v. Raiders Retreat Realty Co., a dispute that began after a yacht owned by Raiders Retreat Realty Co. … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Justices request federal government’s views on Texas and Florida social-media laws

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Biden administration for its views on a pair of controversial social-media laws enacted in Texas and Florida. Passed in response to beliefs that social-media platforms were censoring their users, particularly those expressing conservative political views, both states’ laws seek to regulate the content-moderation policies of social-media companies like Facebook and Twitter.

The justices asked the solicitor general to weigh in on NetChoice v. Paxton (a pending petition on the Texas law) and … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Justices probe global consequences of allowing U.S. prosecutions of companies owned by foreign governments

The Supreme Court heard oral argument on Tuesday in the case of a Turkish bank that the U.S. government accuses of committing money laundering and fraud as part of a scheme to evade U.S. sanctions against Iran. During over 90 minutes of debate, the justices appeared skeptical of the bank’s contention that federal laws bar the government from prosecuting the bank, but they also expressed concern about the consequences of allowing the prosecution to go forward.

Halkbank, whose majority … Read the rest

Supreme Court

Justices probe government’s authority to dismiss False Claims Act lawsuits

The Supreme Court heard oral argument on Tuesday in the case of Dr. Jesse Polansky, a whistleblower who had filed a claim on behalf of the government under the False Claims Act’s qui tam provision. The Department of Justice had initially allowed Polansky to proceed with the lawsuit against a company he accused of causing millions of dollars in false Medicare bills to the government, but after several years of litigation sought to force dismissal of the case. At … Read the rest