Justices take up cases on religious tax exemption and California climate change mandate

Justices take up cases on religious tax exemption and California climate change mandate

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The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to review a decision by the Wisconsin Supreme Court rejecting efforts by Catholic Charities to seek an exemption from the state’s unemployment tax. Catholic Charities contends that both it and the four agencies that operate under its umbrella qualify for the exemption because they are operated “primarily for religious purposes.” The group, which is controlled by the bishop of the diocese of Superior, says that the state supreme court’s contrary decision, which rested … Read the rest

William Hennessy, Jr., prolific courtroom sketch artist, dies at 67

William Hennessy, Jr., prolific courtroom sketch artist, dies at 67

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William Hennessy, Jr., a classically trained artist and SCOTUSblog contributor who chronicled oral arguments at the Supreme Court and legal proceedings around the country for decades, died on Tuesday. Scott McFarlane, a CBS News correspondent who profiled Hennessy last year, reported on X on an announcement made by Hennessy’s family. Hennessy was 67 on Tuesday.

Woman speaking to bench of justices

Solicitor General Elizabeth Prelogar defending the Biden administration’s opposition to an Idaho abortion restriction in April. (William Hennessy)

Hennessy, who had a degree from … Read the rest

Officials in California say child may have become sick with bird flu from raw milk

County officials in California are urging the public to not consume unpasteurized, raw milk because it may have caused a bird flu infection in a child.

Marin County Public Health is reporting a suspected case of bird flu in a child who experienced fever and vomiting after drinking raw milk. The child has recovered, and no other family members became sick, indicating no person-to- person transmission, according to the health department.

There have been 32 confirmed cases of bird flu … Read the rest

Court turns down challenges to school admissions, gender support plans, and gun licensing

Court turns down challenges to school admissions, gender support plans, and gun licensing

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The Supreme Court on Monday morning declined to take up several hot-button issues, including a challenge by parents to a school district’s plan to provide support for transgender and non-binary students, a dispute over the admissions policy used during the 2021-22 school year for three of Boston’s elite public high schools, and the case of a Hawaii man prosecuted for carrying a handgun without a license.

The announcement came in a list of orders released from the justices’ private … Read the rest

Treasury is consulting on a proposed new competition regime to apply to digital platforms

New competition framework for digital platforms

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The Federal Government has released a proposal paper for consultation on the framework for a new digital competition regime, which aims to promote competition by addressing anti-competitive conduct, unfair treatment of business users and barriers to entry and expansion that prevent effective competition in digital platform markets.

The regime outlined in the proposal is broadly similar to the framework recommended by the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in … Read the rest

Justices take up disputes over terrorism damages suits and habeas filings

Justices take up disputes over terrorism damages suits and habeas filings

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The Supreme Court on Friday afternoon agreed to decide whether a 2019 law that seeks to give U.S. courts the power to hear claims by victims of terrorism against the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian Authority violates the Fifth Amendment’s guarantee of fair treatment.

Fuld v. Palestine Liberation Organization and United States v. Palestine Liberation Organization, which will be argued together in the spring, were two of the three petitions for review that the justices granted after … Read the rest

Personal jurisdiction, habeas, and a possible replacement case

Personal jurisdiction, habeas, and a possible replacement case

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The Relist Watch column examines cert petitions that the Supreme Court has “relisted” for its upcoming conference. A short explanation of relists is available here.

The Supreme Court is continuing to work through its relisted cases. Last month it granted the petitions filed by the federal government and by a group of schools and libraries seeking to challenge the decision of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit invalidating a system of subsidies for rural and … Read the rest