Judicial

7th Circuit Court of Appeals Convenes at IU Maurer School of Law, Showcasing Judicial Process to Students and Public

by

Bloomington, Indiana — The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals will host its oral arguments at Indiana University Maurer School of Law, marking a continued tradition of outreach and education by conducting court sessions at law schools within its jurisdiction. This initiative, recently rejuvenated post-pandemic, aims to demystify the appellate process and cultivate public legal understanding. The session, scheduled to conclude by 12:30 p.m., includes six diverse cases varying from civil rights to criminal matters. Chief Judge Diane Sykes highlighted that the court’s practice of sitting at circuit-based law schools is meant to foster a greater … Read more

U.S. Supreme Court to Tackle Judicial ‘Shopping’ in Landmark EPA Regulation Case

by

Washington — The U.S. Supreme Court is set to deliberate on a legal phenomenon that some critics term “judge shopping,” where litigants seek out courts believed to be favorable to their case. The practice involves a strategic selection of venues seen as more likely to provide sympathetic judicial ears to specific legal challenges. This method has been employed to varying extents by both ends of the ideological spectrum. However, recent strategies deployed by business sectors, conservative factions, and several republican state attorneys general have predominantly homed in on the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals, spanning … Read more

Colorado Political Commentator Urges Voters to Reject All Judges to Spur Judicial Accountability and Reform

by

Denver, Colorado — Colorado’s unique judicial retention system, where voters periodically decide whether to keep judges on the bench without direct electoral competition, is coming under intense scrutiny. Unlike some states that hold elections to choose judges, Colorado’s governors appoint judges from a list provided by a nominating committee. Voters then cast their ballots simply to retain or dismiss these judges, sometimes several years after they have been appointed. The overarching concern expressed by critics, including vocal local personalities like Jon Caldara, president of the Denver-based Independence Institute, is that the retention votes amount to … Read more

ECtHR Upholds Judicial Immunity in Landmark Akay v. Turkey Case

by

Strasbourg, France – In a significant ruling that underscores the protective cloak extended to international jurists, the European Court of Human Rights (ECtHR) has decided in favor of Judge Aydin Sefa Akay, a U.N. judge who found himself embroiled in legal turmoil back in his home country, Turkey. This decision not only reaffirmed the immunities typically granted to international judges but also highlighted the challenges these judges face when their roles in international courts intersect with national jurisdictions. The case originated when Judge Akay, who was serving on a United Nations Mechanism for International Criminal … Read more