A motions panel of the Ninth Circuit Court on Friday set a fast schedule for reviewing a plea to put on hold, for several months, a federal judge’s ruling striking down California’s Proposition 8 ban on same-sex marriage.  In a scheduling order, the panel ordered briefing completed by Monday morning — a little more than ...

The federal judge who struck down California’s ban on same-sex marriages last week refused on Thursday to postpone his decision, but did rule that it would not take effect until the Ninth Circuit Court has a chance to “consider the issue in an orderly manner.”  The order can be found here.  U.S. More here:  Same-sex marriage: Close, but ...

The Supreme Court, without noted dissents, on Friday refused to block the start next Tuesday of a war crimes trial of a young Canadian detainee at Guantanamo Bay — Omar Khadr.  The brief order, noting that Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., had submitted the issue to the full Court, gave no explanation fpr tje ...

With Chief Justice John G. More here:  Challenge to military trial fails

In a first step toward a historic Supreme Court test, a federal judge on Wednesday struck down California’s ban on marriage for same-sex couples.  U.S. District Judge Vaughn R. Walker ruled that so-called “Proposition 8″ — approved by the state’s voters in November 2008 — violated two clauses of the federal Constitution.  Those who persuaded ...

U.S. District Court Judge Vaughn R. Walker will release later Wednesday his ruling in Perry v Original post: Gay marriage ruling due

Raising serious questions about the constitutionality of a key part of President Obama”s new health care reform plan, and finding no Supreme Court decisions specifically on the issue, a federal judge on Monday ruled that the state of Virginia’s court challenge to the plan  may go forward.  U.S. District Judge Henry E. Hudson of Richmond, VA, rejected ...

NOTE TO READERS:  The following is an update on a post published earlier Friday. —————- The Ninth Circuit Court refused on Friday to put the constitutional test over Arizona’s authority to control illegal aliens living within its borders on the especially fast schedule that the state had asked, adopting instead a plan that follows its ...

The constitutional fight over Arizona’s new alien control law appeared Wednesday to be headed toward higher courts after a federal judge in that state blocked four significant parts of the law from going into effect as scheduled early Thursday.  Enforcement of a number of other sections was allowed — partly because the U.S. government did ...

UPDATE Friday p.m.  A federal judge on July 22 ordered Jason Pepper’s release from prison while the Supreme Court considers his appeal.  (Thanks to Doug Berman of Sentencing Law and Policy blog for the alert and the link to the release order.) ——————– The Supreme Court on Thursday named a New York City lawyer and ...