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Mon 13 Dec, 2010
Court split in Costco 'first sales' copyright case (Dec. 13, 2010)

The U.S. Supreme Court split evenly over whether the first-sale doctrine applies to imported goods manufactured outside the United States.

Watchmaker Omega sued Costco when it bought a shipment of the Swiss-made watches from another importer and sold them for below Omega's suggested retail price. Omega contends that Costco's sale infringes on their copyright of the Omega logo on the back face of the watch.

Mon 13 Dec, 2010
Court considers longer federal sentences to promote rehabilitation (Dec. 10, 2010)

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether a federal judge may give a convicted individual a longer prison sentence to promote rehabilitation.

Alejandra Tapia was convicted of bringing illegal aliens into the United States and of jumping bail after being charged with immigration crimes.

Following the jury trial, a judge on the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California sentenced Tapia to 51 months in prison, nothing that one factor in giving her a longer sentence was to make sure she remained confined long enough to take part in a drug rehab program.

Sat 15 Jan, 2011
Justices take securities lawsuit against Halliburton (Jan. 7, 2011)

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide what proof is necessary when a class-action lawsuit is filed over alleged market price manipulation.

A group of Halliburton Co. shareholders, led by the Erica P. John Fund, filed a lawsuit that contends that from 1999 to 2001, the company falsified earnings reports, played down estimated asbestos liability and overstated the benefits of a merger.

Sat 15 Jan, 2011
Court will hear plea bargaining cases (Jan. 7, 2011)

The Supreme Court will hear two cases addressing plea bargaining for criminal defendants.

Anthony Cooper was convicted of shooting a woman in the thigh and buttocks after missing a shot to her head. The decision was by the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit because his lawyer gave him bad advice. His lawyer told him not to take a plea offer, thinking that there could not be a finding that Cooper intended to murder his victim. But Cooper was convicted of assault with intent to murder and other charges.

Sat 15 Jan, 2011
Justices grant Jicarilla Apache Nation trust case (Jan. 7, 2011)

The Supreme Court has agreed to review the Jicarilla Apache Nation's case against the federal government for breach of trust.

In 2002, the Jicarilla Apache Nation of New Mexico sued the United States in the Court of Federal Claims, seeking some $300 million in damages, for allegedly mismanaging financial interests and funds, which are held in trust for the tribe’s benefit.

The tribe is seeking access to attorney-client communications about the trust operation.

Mon 15 Nov, 2010
Justices agree to shed light on federal murder law (Nov. 15, 2010)

The Supreme Court has agreed to clarify What kind of proof prosecutors must provide in order to get a conviction for murdering a person to prevent that individual from reporting a federal crime to a federal law enforcement officer or judge.

Tue 30 Nov, 2010
Court rules on removal procedures for child abuse database (Nov. 30, 2010)

The Supreme Court ruled today that Los Angeles County is not liable for listing an exonerated couple on the state's Child Abuse Central Index.

Craig and Wendy Humphries were accused of abuse by one of their children, arrested, and their children were taken away from them. They were charged with child abuse and felony torture, but the charges were dismissed once it became clear the allegations were not true. Despite the fact that the charges were dismissed, the Humphries were placed on California's Child Abuse Central Index -- a database for known and suspected child abusers.

Tue 30 Nov, 2010
Court takes Microsoft appeal over patent (Nov. 30, 2010)

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide what standard should apply when a jury is presented with evidence about pre-existing technology that a patent examiner didn’t consider.

The owner of a patent for a computer language, i4i Limited Partnership, filed a lawsuit against Microsoft Corp., alleging that the custom XML editor in certain versions of Microsoft Word, Microsoft's word-processing software, infringed upon i4i's patent.

Tue 30 Nov, 2010
Justices will hear Ariz. campaign finance law dispute (Nov. 30, 2010)

The Supreme Court has agreed to determine the constitutionality of an Arizona law that provides matching funds to publicly financed political candidates.

Wed 1 Dec, 2010
Justices grant railroad case on causation standard (Nov. 30, 2010)

The Supreme Court has agreed to clarify the causation standard under the Federal Employers’ Liability Act.

Locomotive engineer Robert McBride filed suit after contending that he injured his hand while adding and removing railroad cars for his employer, CSX Transportation, Inc.

Wed 3 Nov, 2010
Court will hear exclusionary rule case (Nov. 1, 2010)

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether the good-faith exception to the exclusionary rule applies to a search that was authorized by precedent at the time of the search but is subsequently ruled unconstitutional?

Wed 3 Nov, 2010
Justices review right to counsel case (Nov. 1, 2010)

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether an indigent defendant who faces incarceration for civil contempt has a constitutional right to a court-appointed lawyer.

Michael Turner was found to be in contempt of court in January 2007 for falling behind in his child support payments. Unable to afford an attorney on his own, Turner was never given the option by Oconee County Family Court Judge Timothy M. Cain of being represented by a court-appointed lawyer prior to his hearing or sentencing.

Wed 3 Nov, 2010
Justices take on attorney fees in civil rights cases (Nov. 1, 2010)

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether a court can award attorneys' fees to civil rights defendants based on a dismissal of a claim when the plaintiff has asserted other interrelated and nonfrivolous claims.

In January 2005, Vinton, La., Police Chief Billy Ray Vice, who was seeking re-election to his post, sent fellow candidate Ricky Fox an “anonymous” letter trying to blackmail him into dropping out of the race.

Mon 15 Nov, 2010
Unanimous court allows longer prison term in gun, drug crimes (Nov. 15, 2010)

In the first opinion of the new term, a unanimous Supreme Court upheld longer prison sentences for people convicted of carrying or using a gun while committing drug trafficking crimes.

In a pair of consolidated cases, defendants engaged in drug trafficking while using a firearm. Both defendants received an additional five-year sentence for using or carrying a firearm in furtherance of a drug trafficking crime pursuant to 18 U.S.C § 924(c)(1)A), even though they received longer mandatory minimum sentences under the Armed Career Criminal Act.

Mon 15 Nov, 2010
Court to tackle a second exclusionary rule case (Nov. 15, 2010)

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether an individual’s motor vehicle records can be used as evidence if the police consulted those records only after making an illegal stop of the individual’s vehicle.

Thu 14 Oct, 2010
Court to review 'deliberate indifference' standard for patent infringement (Oct. 12, 2010)

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether the legal standard for the state of mind element of a claim for actively inducing patent infringement is "deliberate indifference of a known risk" to encourage an infringement.

Thu 14 Oct, 2010
Court agrees to hear Oneida Indian Nation foreclosure case (Oct. 12, 2010)

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether tribal sovereign immunity from suit bars taxing authorities from foreclosing to collect lawfully imposed property taxes and whether the ancient Oneida reservation in New York was disestablished or diminished.

Mon 18 Oct, 2010
Justices grant Ashcroft immunity case (Oct. 18, 2010)

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether former Attorney General John Ashcroft has immunity in a lawsuit brought by a Muslim American who claims he was unconstitutionally detained as a material witness in a terrorism probe.

Wed 3 Nov, 2010
Court takes university patent dispute (Nov. 1, 2010)

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether patents on inventions that arise from federally-funded research must go to the university where the inventor worked.

Wed 3 Nov, 2010
Justices mull Miranda rights of minors at school (Nov. 1, 2010)

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether a juvenile burglary suspect who was interrogated at school by the police should have been given a Miranda warning about his rights.

The case concerns J.D.B., a seventh-grade student in Chapel Hill, N.C., who was taken from a special education class and questioned by a police investigator and the assistant principal about a string of neighborhood burglaries. The police had learned that the boy was in possession of a digital camera that had been reported stolen.