Civil

St. Louis Jury Delivers $18.75 Million Verdict in 2015 Police Shooting Civil Suit

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St. Louis, MO – A St. Louis jury has awarded $18.75 million to the family of Mansur Ball-Bey in a wrongful death lawsuit stemming from his fatal shooting by police officers in 2015. The decision, reached on Friday, came after prosecutors previously decided not to bring charges against the officers involved in the incident. Mansur Ball-Bey, who was 18 at the time, died from a gunshot wound after police officers shot him during a raid on a home in north St. Louis. The shooting prompted weeks of protests in the city, as community members called … Read more

Promising Civil Rights Lawyer and Harvard Alum Kiah Duggins Tragically Killed in Reagan National Airport Plane Crash

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WASHINGTON — Kiah Duggins, a civil rights attorney set to start a significant role at Howard University’s law school, tragically lost her life in a plane crash on Wednesday evening at Reagan National Airport. Already an established figure in the Washington, D.C. community, Duggins was known for her passionate advocacy for social equity and justice. Colleagues and friends remember Duggins as an exceptional individual, whose intellect and compassion made a lasting impact. Bobby Gandu, who is associated with Wichita State University, where Duggins completed her undergraduate studies, praised her brilliance and empathic nature. “Kiah was … Read more

Groundbreaking Jury System Research Wins Prestigious Civil Justice Scholarship Award for Law Professor Valerie P. Hans and Team

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Cornell University law professor Valerie P. Hans, along with two distinguished colleagues, received the prestigious 2025 Civil Justice Scholarship Award from the National Civil Justice Institute. This recognition is awarded for influential scholarly work in the realm of civil justice. Hans is honored alongside Professor Richard Jolly of Southwestern Law School and attorney Robert Peck from the Center for Constitutional Law. The trio’s winning article, “Democratic Renewal and the Civil Jury,” published in the Georgia Law Review, examines the pivotal role of the civil jury in enhancing civic engagement and upholding democratic values in contemporary … Read more

South Carolina School Guidelines on Race and Gender Prompt Civil Rights Litigation

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Columbia, SC – In a significant legal challenge, South Carolina’s education policies concerning the teaching of race and gender are now under scrutiny due to a civil rights lawsuit. This legal action contests recent state measures that critics argue could stifle honest discussions about racism and sexism within classrooms. The lawsuit specifically targets provisions in the state budget that penalize schools for allowing teachers to suggest that an individual bears responsibility for actions committed in the past by other members of their race or gender. These state-imposed rules, critics say, could inhibit educational discourse and … Read more