Yesterday, the city of Louisville announced a $12 million settlement with the family of Breonna Taylor, as well as some reforms to the Louisville police force. Breonna Taylor was shot to death in March after three police officers erroneously entered her apartment using a “no knock” warrant, which has since been banned by the city […]
Federal Court Rules That Students May Use Bathrooms That Match Their Gender Identity
In a win for transgender rights, a federal appeals court has ruled that a Virginia high school’s transgender bathroom rule is unconstitutional, discriminatory, and a violation of Title IX rules. Gavin Grimm sued his Virginia high school in 2015 after being barred from using the boys restroom, citing Title IX protections against sex discrimination. While […]
Michigan Women Sue To Repeal Period Tax
Three Michigan women are suing the state’s Treasury Department over taxes on menstrual products, claiming the taxes violates the equal protections clause in both the state and U.S. constitutions. The plaintiffs, represented by menstrual equity group Period Equity, is suing to end the tax and to issue a refund to people who have paid the […]
Court Rules that Trans Students Must Have Access to Bathrooms that Match Their Gender
On Friday, a federal court in Florida ruled that it is unconstitutional for public schools to ban transgender students from using the bathroom that best matches their gender identity. In a 2-1 decision, the Judge of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit issued the ruling on the basis that “a public school […]
New York Attorney General Seeks to Dissolve the NRA, Citing Fraud and Abuse
Following an 18-month investigation into the National Rifle Association (NRA), New York Attorney General Letitia James took action on Thursday to dissolve the organization, which she argued is “fraught with fraud and abuse.” In a press conference, James announced that she was filing a lawsuit against the NRA along with four individuals affiliated with the […]
Judge Temporarily Blocks Tennessee Abortion Ban
A federal judge temporarily blocked Tennessee’s abortion law on Friday. The law – or “heartbeat bill” – would ban abortions once a fetal heartbeat is detected, which can be as early as six weeks. The bill was previously stopped through a temporary restraining order by District Judge William L. Campbell less than an hour after […]
Missouri Court Rules Against Johnson & Johnson in Ovarian Cancer Lawsuit
An appeals court in Missouri ruled against Johnson & Johnson in a civil suit, ordering them to pay billions in damages. The plaintiffs are women who say they have contracted ovarian cancer from the use of the company’s famous baby powder. The women believe the talcum Johnson & Johnson baby powder contains asbestos and is […]
Anti-Choice Group Files Lawsuit Against Illinois Reproductive Health Act
On June 10, the Thomas More Society (TMS) filed a lawsuit against the Illinois Department of Insurance claiming that the Illinois Reproductive Health Act is unconstitutional and violates the religious liberties of its clients. TMS argues that the law requiring employers to provide insurance that covers abortions violates the Illinois Religious Freedom Restoration Act and […]
U.S. Court Ruling Defines “Fairness” in Title IX Cases
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit Court decided on May 29 that “fairness” defined in several colleges’s investigations of sexual harassment means that students must be given a live hearing and cross-examination process. The decision, written by Judge David Porter, stated that if a college’s policy under Title IX of the Education […]
Immigrant Woman Sues Over Sexual Assault in Detention Center
On Wednesday, an immigrant woman formerly in Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) custody in Houston sued a private prison company, CoreCivic, after she was raped in 2018 in a dark, isolated cell along with two other women the day before she was deported to Mexico. The woman, Jane Doe, became pregnant as a result of […]
U.S. Women’s National Soccer Team Equal Pay Claim Dismissed by Federal Judge
A federal judge dealt a significant blow to the U.S. Women’s national team’s fight for equality on Friday. While the U.S. women’s team’s claim of unequal working conditions can go forward, a federal judge rejected the player’s claims of pay inequality. In March 2019, the USWNT filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Soccer Federation. The […]
Students Have Fundamental Right to Literacy, Appeals Court Says
A federal appeals court ruled on Thursday that students in Detroit have a right to a “basic minimum education” ensuring literacy. Gary B., et al. v. Whitmer, et al. was filed by students on behalf of students in the Detroit Public Schools system. It argued that conditions in the schools had deprived them of a […]
Muslim Woman Files Lawsuit After Being Forced to Remove Her Hijab Upon Arrest
Ahmed Mohamed, a litigation director at the Council on American-Islamic Relations of New York (CAIR NY) is filing a class-action lawsuit on behalf of individuals who have been forced to remove their religious head coverings upon arrest. At the center of the lawsuit is Ihsan Malkawi, a Muslim woman alleging that police in New York […]
