Supreme

New Jersey Supreme Court Upholds Public Defender’s Counsel in Deportation Case Despite Client’s Misrepresentation of Citizenship

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TRENTON, N.J. — The New Jersey Supreme Court ruled on Tuesday that a deportation following a guilty plea does not automatically indicate ineffective assistance of counsel, even when a public defender relies on a client’s false claim of U.S. citizenship. In a 5-2 decision, the state’s highest court overturned a prior ruling from a lower court which had determined that public defender Carol Wentworth failed in her duties by not investigating Juan C. Hernandez-Peralta’s immigration status prior to sentencing. Hernandez-Peralta had pleaded guilty in 2019 to charges of burglary and robbery, which subsequently led to … Read more

Trump Administration Appeals to Supreme Court to Uphold Controversial NIH Grant Cuts Amid Legal Challenges

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Washington, D.C. — The Trump administration is escalating its legal battle over grant funding issued by the National Institutes of Health, seeking to finalize significant reductions in research financing that it contends supports activities in violation of federal policies on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI). On Thursday, officials requested that the Supreme Court grant them the authority to implement these cuts. Shortly after taking office, President Donald Trump initiated substantial cuts to research grants, particularly targeting projects related to gender identity and DEI that he alleged contravened his executive orders. By early April, a coalition … Read more

NBA and NFL Push Supreme Court to Clarify Video Privacy Act Amid Streaming Era Confusion

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Washington, D.C. — The National Basketball Association (NBA), backed by the National Football League (NFL), is pushing the U.S. Supreme Court to clarify the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA), legislation from the 1980s designed to safeguard consumer video rental and viewing records. As the landscape of digital content evolves, discrepancies among federal courts have emerged regarding whether this historic law should extend to individuals accessing free online content. The legal debate centers on conflicting rulings from the U.S. Court of Appeals. The 2nd and 7th Circuits have interpreted the VPPA as applicable to consumers who … Read more

U.S. Escalates Support for Bolsonaro as Visa Revocations Target Brazilian Supreme Court Judges Amid Political Turmoil

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Brasília, Brazil — U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has taken significant action by revoking the visas of eight Brazilian Supreme Court judges, intensifying efforts to assist former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro as he faces mounting legal challenges related to alleged attempts to retain power after losing the 2022 election. Bolsonaro, a right-wing populist aligned with the former U.S. President Donald Trump, is currently on trial for purportedly orchestrating a violent scheme to maintain his position following his electoral defeat to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva. Convicted by the Supreme Court, Bolsonaro could face up … Read more