Judge

D.C. Superior Court Judge Clears Path for Ranked-Choice Voting and Independent Participation in Primaries Despite Lawsuit

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A recent ruling by a D.C. Superior Court judge has given a significant boost to the campaign advocating for ranked-choice voting and open primaries in Washington, D.C. The judge dismissed a lawsuit that sought to block the ballot initiative, clearing the way for its progress. Initiative 83, as it has become known, aims to extend the right to participate in party primaries to independent voters and introduce ranked-choice voting to the city. Under the initiative, the more than 73,000 unaffiliated voters in D.C. would be able to take part in primary elections … Read more

Federal Judge Upholds First Amendment Rights, Rules in Favor of Oregon Church in Homeless Meal Service Case

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Brookings, Oregon – A federal judge has ruled in favor of a church in a First Amendment case, preventing a southern Oregon city from shutting down the church’s homeless meal service. U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Clarke deemed an ordinance passed by the city of Brookings to be a violation of the religious freedom rights of St. Timothy’s Episcopal Church. The church has been providing meals to the homeless since 2009. The ordinance required a permit to serve free food in residential areas and limited the church’s meal services to only two days a week. In … Read more

U.S. Judge Rules Against Chinese Companies for Importing Banned Wallets

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WASHINGTON (AP) — A judge at the U.S. International Trade Commission has ruled that two Chinese companies are in violation of U.S. law for importing specific types of wallets, leading to calls for a ban on these imports. The judge’s decision comes as part of an ongoing trade dispute between the United States and China, adding fuel to the fire in an already tense relationship. The judge determined that the Chinese companies engaged in illegal practices by importing these wallets, which violates U.S. trade regulations. The ruling suggests that the imports should be prohibited, potentially … Read more

Fulton County D.A. Builds First Amendment Case Against Trump, Citing Precedent from Federal Judge Chutkan’s Rulings

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Atlanta, Georgia – Fulton County prosecutors are leveraging a previous Trump case to bolster their First Amendment arguments in the extensive RICO case against former President Donald Trump and his associates. During a recent hearing, Georgia prosecutors invoked Judge Tanya Chutkan’s rulings, who is overseeing Trump’s other election interference case in federal court, to support their charges against the former president, drawing attention to her evaluation of similar arguments under Supreme Court precedent. The hearing addressed several pretrial motions, including Trump’s attorneys’ assertion that the charges against him criminalize his political speech. The prosecution, however, … Read more