Courts + Policing
Ammon Bundy pleads guilty to trespassing at Meridian’s St. Luke’s hospital
This story was first published Jan. 23, 2023, by Idaho Reports. Former gubernatorial candidate Ammon Bundy pleaded guilty to misdemeanor trespassing Monday rather than proceed with the trial set for this week. The trespassing charge stems from an incident when Bundy refused to leave the property of St. Luke’s medical center in Meridian in March […]
Federal judge could decide as soon as February to yank abortion pill nationwide
WASHINGTON — A Texas judge could decide as soon as next month whether to force the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to pull its two-decade-old approval of the abortion pill, which accounts for more than half of pregnancy terminations in the United States. A nationwide injunction in the case, as requested by anti-abortion groups, would […]
Idaho appeals court judge to be nominated to federal bench, White House announces
President Joe Biden will nominate Idaho Court of Appeals Judge Amanda K. Brailsford to be a federal judge of the U.S. District Court of Idaho, the White House told the Idaho Capital Sun on Wednesday. Brailsford is one of four nominees announced by the White House and is part of the 28th round of federal […]
Public invited to a meeting of ‘United Against Hate’ initiative on Jan. 16 in Caldwell
Idaho’s top federal prosecutor has joined with the College of Idaho and the Wassmuth Center for Human Rights to host a meeting with other stakeholders to discuss how Idaho law enforcement and others in the community can root out hate crimes and acts of hate in Idaho. “In my view, this initiative is particularly timely […]
Biden administration to rapidly expel more migrants at the border, add legal pathways
WASHINGTON – President Joe Biden on Thursday announced dual immigration strategies that would increase expulsions of migrants who attempt to cross the Southern border, while also expanding opportunities for migrants from several countries to legally enter the United States. But the sweeping new immigration plan brought condemnation from advocates who said he should not broaden […]
Idaho Supreme Court upholds abortion ban, civil enforcement law
In a 3-2 decision, the Idaho Supreme Court upheld Idaho’s abortion ban and the civil enforcement law allowing providers to be sued for performing abortions in an opinion released Thursday. Planned Parenthood and one of its abortion providers, Dr. Caitlin Gustafson, filed three separate challenges with the Idaho Supreme Court, beginning with the civil enforcement […]
GOP law-and-order pitch didn’t win many converts, expert says
Republicans nationwide went big on claims that crime was rampant in our cities and that it was crucial to elect hard-nosed conservatives to stop it. The November midterms showed that those appeals failed to win over many voters who weren’t already part of the GOP’s rural and exurban base, the executive director of the Death […]
U.S. Supreme Court temporarily keeps Title 42 immigration program in effect
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court is keeping Title 42 in place until the justices can review whether the pandemic-era program should be lifted or continue. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts in an order on Monday stayed a lower court’s ruling that would have allowed the program, which was put in place by the […]
Idaho one of few states with no appropriated funds for domestic violence services
Editor’s note: This story was originally published Dec. 12 on Idaho Reports. Idaho is one of the only states that provides no general fund dollars for domestic violence services, outside of funding the Idaho Council on Domestic Violence and Victim Assistance. Idaho does have a dedicated fund that generates $15 per marriage license, $20 per […]
Future of U.S. election law at stake as Supreme Court hears North Carolina case
WASHINGTON — North Carolina Republicans appeared to have at least three of the U.S. Supreme Court’s conservative justices on their side Wednesday in a case that could determine the future of elections nationwide, and leave decisions about federal elections in the hands of state legislatures and beyond the reach of state courts. The Supreme Court […]
U.S. Supreme Court to review Biden student debt relief plan in February
WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court said Thursday it will hear oral arguments in February over a legal challenge by six Republican-led states to the Biden administration student borrower relief plan. Until the arguments are heard and the court issues a ruling, the $400 billion Biden plan is on hold due to a nationwide injunction […]
Idaho inmate Pizzuto’s execution canceled, state doesn’t have lethal injection chemicals
This story was first published on Nov. 30, 2022, on Idaho Reports. The state of Idaho no longer plans to execute Gerald Pizzuto Jr. on Dec. 15 after being unable to obtain the necessary chemicals for his scheduled lethal injection killing. The Idaho Attorney General’s Office filed a notice with the court Wednesday, just 15 […]