System

The Journey of a Rebellious Lawyer: From Immigration Law to Fighting the Broken System

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Seattle, Washington – The journey to becoming a social justice lawyer can take a much different path than the typical career trajectory often depicted on television. Monika Batra Kashyap, an immigration lawyer and visiting clinical professor at Seattle University School of Law, is an example of a “rebellious lawyer” who is dedicated to fighting for social justice. Batra Kashyap’s desire to help others was influenced by her own personal history as the child of immigrants. Her passion for immigrant justice work taps into her politics, lived experience, and ancestral ties to the country. However, she … Read more

Former Inmate Accuses Mississippi Prison System of Negligence and Chemically Induced Breast Cancer in Groundbreaking Lawsuit

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Jackson, Mississippi – Susie Balfour, a former inmate at the Central Mississippi Correctional Facility, has filed a lawsuit alleging that she was denied proper medical care and exposed to cancer-causing chemicals while in prison. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in the southern district of Mississippi, accuses the companies that provided healthcare services to the Mississippi Department of Corrections of negligence. Balfour, who served a 30-year sentence for manslaughter, claims that she began experiencing painful lumps in her breasts in 2011. Despite a mammogram showing possible signs of breast cancer, she was denied the recommended … Read more

Kansas Senate Votes to Increase Death Benefit and Expand Pension System Investments in Alternative Assets

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In Topeka, Kansas, the state Senate has voted to increase the lump-sum death payment for retirees in the Kansas Public Employee Retirement System (KPERS), as well as raise the maximum amount of the pension system’s portfolio tied to alternative private equity or infrastructure investments. The Senate voted 25-14 in favor of Senate Bill 172, which would raise the death benefit to $6,000 from the current $4,000. The cost of this adjustment over a 20-year period is estimated to be $108 million, to be covered by KPERS contributions and investment income. The death benefit has not … Read more

Malaysia’s Top Court Rules Dozens of Islamic Laws Unconstitutional, Ignites Controversy Over Sharia Legal System

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PUTRAJAYA, Malaysia – Malaysia’s highest court has declared more than a dozen Islamic laws in the state of Kelantan unconstitutional, citing their infringement on federal authority. The decision, reached by an 8-1 judgment of the Federal Court, has stirred debate, with some conservative Muslim critics suggesting that it could undermine the country’s Sharia legal system. Among the 16 laws deemed “void and invalid” are those related to sodomy, sexual harassment, intoxication, incest, and defiling or destroying a place of worship. Chief Justice Tengku Maimun Tuan Mat emphasized that the verdict should not be interpreted as … Read more