Courts + Policing
Judge halts part of Montana wolf hunting
A Helena judge has temporarily halted part of Montana’s wolf hunting rules after two groups filed a lawsuit challenging the state’s expanded wolf hunting program, established by the 2021 state Legislature. Lewis and Clark District Court Judge Christopher Abbott issued a temporary restraining order effective immediately that would stop snaring, cutting back the wolf hunting […]
FBI confirms a single juvenile suspect behind most bomb threats to dozens of HBCUs
WASHINGTON — The FBI has officially announced that a single minor youth is the main suspect in most racially motivated bomb threats to dozens of Historically Black Colleges and Universities earlier this year that terrorized students. The FBI in a statement on Monday did not release any further details — only that the individual is […]
A few details slowly emerge in University of Idaho student homicides
Originally posted on IdahoEdNews.org on November 15, 2022 As classes resumed at the University of Idaho on Tuesday morning, police revealed a few more details into the slayings of four students living off-campus. The students were evidently stabbed “by an edged weapon such as a knife,” the Moscow Police Department said in a statement Tuesday. […]
Six GOP-led states win national injunction against Biden student debt relief plan
WASHINGTON — A federal appeals court on Monday issued a nationwide injunction indefinitely blocking the Biden administration’s student debt relief program in response to a challenge by six GOP-led states. The unanimous ruling by the 8th Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis came after the six states — Nebraska, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas and […]
U.S. Supreme Court denies attempt by Arizona GOP chair to block Jan. 6 panel subpoena
The U.S. Supreme Court sided Monday with the U.S. House committee investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, denying a request from Arizona Republican Chairwoman Kelli Ward and her husband to block the panel from obtaining their cellphone records. The court’s two-paragraph order ends Kelli and Michael Ward’s federal suit to block the […]
What does history tell us about how the Idaho Supreme Court might rule on abortion?
Idaho drafted its original abortion statute at the First Territorial Session in Lewiston — 25 years before Idaho became a state and drafted the state constitution — in the winter months between December 1863 and early 1864. The wording of the statute is almost identical to statutes several other states were passing to ban abortion […]
Idaho COVID fraud task force has a message for white-collar criminals: ‘You can’t hide it’
Josh Hurwit was a federal prosecutor in the office of the U.S. Attorney for the District of Idaho for 10 years before he was chosen in April to lead the office, as Idaho’s top federal attorney. The office has seen many health care fraud cases in that time, he said. As with all white-collar crime, […]
Idaho’s U.S. Attorney directs lawyers around state to oversee handling of election complaints
Idaho’s top federal attorney asks the public to help protect democracy on Election Day by reporting concerns and complaints about voting rights, interference, election fraud or other potential crimes, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s office Friday. U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit said assistant U.S. attorneys around Idaho will join in a long […]
U.S. Supreme Court justices cast doubt on affirmative action in college admissions
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative majority on Monday questioned the legality of race-conscious policies in college admissions, as the justices weighed two cases that could upend the admissions process many colleges use to try to boost diversity on campus. At issue are two cases that challenge the lawfulness of affirmative action at Harvard […]
Idaho’s take from opioid settlements is now over $26 million
Idaho has received more than $26 million in opioid settlement funds, according to Idaho Attorney General Lawrence Wasden. The state last week received its final payment for this year. Wasden anticipates Idaho will receive a total of $128 million by the year 2040 as the state’s share of proceeds from three legal settlements and one […]
Federal prosecutor announces task force to target COVID-19 fraud in Idaho
Idaho’s top federal prosecutor has created a task force to combat fraud related to the COVID-19 pandemic. U.S. Attorney Josh Hurwit this week announced in a news release the creation of the District of Idaho’s COVID-19 Fraud Task Force, made up of “a broad group of law enforcement agencies, with prosecutors who will work jointly […]
Idaho Supreme Court seeks comment on revisions to cameras in the courtroom policies
The Idaho Supreme Court is seeking input on proposed revisions to court rules involving cameras in the courtroom, according to a press release. Proposed amendments to Idaho Court Administrative Rule 45 are attempting to align the rule with modern practices by removing the distinction between organizations that produce still photography and organizations that produce video. The rule otherwise remains […]