At a press conference this morning held in downtown Los Angeles by the American Foundation for Equal Rights, one of the lawyers who argued against Proposition 8 spoke about the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals' decision that Prop 8 is unconstitutional, along with plaintiffs and their families and representatives from AFER. more ›

The California Supreme Court has overturned the death sentence of a pimp convicted of burning one of his prostitutes to death. Justices ruled today that jurors were improperly instructed on a special circumstance allegation of kidnapping. more ›

Remember SB 1070, that racist pesky law passed by Arizona voters last year that requires police officers to question the immigration status of anyone they stop or arrest who they believe might be in the country illegally? Well, after being enacted by voters and then halted, in part, by a federal judge, a case will now go before the Supreme Court to determine whether the injunction should remain in effect, and possibly whether the law itself is constitutional. more ›

Check your channel lineup to make sure you know where to find California Channel, if you're interested in watching the live broadcast of the next hearing of the same-sex marriage ban (aka Proposition 8) case. The court date, September 6th, is when "a crucial procedural issue in the legal battle over Proposition 8 will go before the California Supreme Court in San Francisco," explains SFAppeal. more ›

Today the Supreme Court ruled in favor of Manhattan Beach's plastic bag ban after much litigation regarding its passage. Save the Plastic Bag, an industry group of plastic bag manufacturers, opposed the 2008 City of Manhattan Beach plastic bag ban ordinance, claiming that paper bags would increase landfill volume and further threaten the environment. The Court of Appeal sided with the group, agreeing that the City should have conducted a full Environmental Impact Report. more ›

A ruling today by the Supreme Court may be felt as a loss for California Governor Jerry Brown, but a boon for youngsters with a love of video games and some cash in pocket. A 7-2 ruling made today "determined that California’s 2005 violent video game restrictions violated free speech rights protected by the First Amendment," according to the Sacramento Bee. more ›

Justices of the Supreme Court refused to take a look at a California Supreme Court ruling that maintained the state law that grants reduced tuition at state schools to all California high school grads, regardless of immigration status. The Associated Press reports that the court opted not to comment on their decision. more ›

Just two days after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that California were indeed overcrowded and ordered the state to reduce its 140,000+ inmate population by about 33,000, a critical error was made and the blame is being placed squarely on a computer. California prison officials mistakenly released an estimated 450 inmates with "a high risk for violence" as unsupervised parolees in a program meant to ease overcrowding, according to the state's inspector general, reported the LA Times. more ›

California can stall no more, says the Supreme Court today, in a 5-4 ruling that affirms the state's proposed prisoner release plan is among the actions needed to address the system's overcrowding, according to the Sacramento Bee. The court believes that conditions in California prisons reflect "serious constitutional violations," which must be tended to expediently. more ›

This morning, the "California Supreme Court unanimously upheld a state law which allows certain nonresidents, including some undocumented students, who attend and graduate from a California high school to pay in-state tuition at the state's public colleges and universities," reports the UC newsroom. more ›

It was a matchup that had to be played out in the Supreme Court and not the Coliseum, but the University of Southern California emerged triumphant over the University of South Carolina. The prize--not a coveted trophy or ring--is the rights to the interlocking letters of "SC," as determined by a ruling in a trademark case, according to the LA Times. more ›

Yesterday it was announced that U.S. 2nd Circuit Court of Appeals in New York labelled the Federal Communications Commission's indecency rules "unconstitutionally vague and chilling." Between the arbitrary identification of obscenity and the random assessment of fines, from a couple thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands, broadcasters of live events have been on tenterhooks until this ruling. Smaller broadcasters, in particular, were in danger of being shut down if even a violation was filed against them as either paying the fine, or funding a lawyer to fight the fine. more ›

The lawyer who contends all L.A. County judges are biased in cases against the county government will remain in jail after the U.S. Supreme Court yesterday denied his appeal to be freed, according to the Daily News. more ›

For several years now, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness of California have asserted that Los Angeles International Airport is a public place, similar to a park, where they should be able to solicit donations. But today the California Supreme Court has upheld a ban put in place in L.A. which prohibits members of the religious organization from asking travelers for money, according to the Daily News. The court believes that banning solicitors on the premises of LAX is "a reasonable way to protect harried passengers rushing to make travel connections." The Hare Krishnas, however, may still preach at LAX, and ask travelers to send money later. more ›

There was an uncomfortable moment for U.S. Supreme Court judges during President Barack Obama's State of the Union a few weeks ago. "Last week, the Supreme Court reversed a century of law to open the floodgates for special interests — including foreign corporations — to spend without limit in our elections," Obama said... more ›

After the U.S. Supreme Court blocked a video feed and YouTube uploads of the Federal Prop 8 trial, one Los Angeles man has found a way around it. "Freelance journalist and filmmaker John Ireland, who's based in Los Angeles and regularly examines gay rights issues, will produce a daily re-enactment of the Proposition 8 federal trial and post it on YouTube, starting this week," reported the LA Weekly over the weekend. "The U.S. Supreme Court probably never saw this coming," noted Queer Town writer Patrick Range McDonald. more ›

In a 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court today voted to indefinitely blocked cameras from the federal Prop 8 trial, currently in its third day, the Associated Press is reporting. The two lower courts approved a live feed to selected court houses outside of San Francisco, including an approved a delayed YouTube feed by district court Judge Vaughn Walker. Gay marriage advocates said it would bring transparency to the trial, but case defendants, the backers of Proposition 8, feared the exposure would scare witnesses away. more ›

The Supreme Court has just announced they are blocking the video recording and broadcast of the controversial same-sex marriage trial set to begin later today in San Francisco, according to an AP report. The court has said they will not permit video to be broadcast on YouTube, even with a tape delay, because the justices need more time to consider the matter. The blocking holds until at least Wednesday. Those opposed to the video broadcast believe cameras will affect witness testimony. Previously: Prop 8 Proponents Ask Supreme Court to Block Camera Coverage; 9th Circuit Says Cameras Allowed in Prop 8 Trial Courtroom more ›

After losing the bid to block cameras from the Prop 8 trial twice, supporters of the measure that banned gay marriage in California have submitted a last-minute emergency application to the Supreme Court asking Justice Kennedy to block the cameras. more ›

You know those poster-sized signs around the city, dotting corners of mini malls and gas stations? The U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear a case between the city of Los Angeles and Metrolights, a company now owned by Fuel Outdoor, reports Dennis Hathway at Ban Billboard Blight blog. The loser in the battle is Fuel, who appealed a 9th Circuit Court of Appeals ruling in favor of Los Angeles, which originally cited the signs for violating city law, a 2002 off-site sign ban. So what happens next? Will Fuel be forced to take them down? Inquiring minds wonder. more ›

A long awaited decision announced at 10 a.m. on Prop 8 and 18,000 already-married couples proved mostly a loss for the gay community. In a 6-1 vote, the California Supreme Court ruled that Prop 8 was indeed an amendment and therefore remains law, meaning gay marriage in the state is illegal. However, as expected by many, the 18,000 couples who married during the Rainbow Window last year will remain legally married (the full ruling is embedded below). more ›

At 10 a.m., the California Supreme Court will announce their decision on Prop 8, a ballot initiative that banned gay marriage last November. Two questions will be answered: will Prop 8 be upheld or struck down and if the former, what is the fate of the 18,000 couples already married in the "Rainbow Window," between at three outcomes more ›

The long awaited day will finally come. The Supreme Court will announce their decision on the validity of Prop 8, which banned gay marriage in California, on Tuesday at 10 a.m. Such rulings are generally made on Mondays and Thursdays, but due to the Memorial Day holiday, the ruling will come on Tuesday. Depending on the outcome, celebrations or protests are planned for Tuesday night and a large one next week Saturday in Fresno, of all places. The court's full announcement is below: more ›

The counties of San Bernardino and San Diego tried to fight Prop 215, but were denied an appeal hearing yesterday by the US Supreme Court. They tried to challenge state law, specifically ID cards to protect users from police, saying federal law prohibits use of marijuana. That didn't fly, especially in light of the Obama administration's new stance on state rights in regards to medical marijuana, and the appeal went on deaf ears. "No longer will local officials be able to hide behind federal law and resist upholding California's medical marijuana law," said Joe Elford, lawyer for Americans for Safe Access, to the San Francisco Chronicle. more ›

Whether you watched at home, in your office or in public like at West Hollywood's Auditorium, this morning's Prop 8 state Supreme Court hearing was a long three hours as lawyers from both side were hammered with questions from the seven justices. more ›

This is a live video feed showing the California State Supreme court's Prop. 8 hearing, which will go down as a historic civil rights movement when ruled on. It's scheduled to last until noon. more ›

we will stand together," reads a flyer (.pdf) for tomorrow night's event. "Meet at El Pueblo to hear from our legal council, celebrate our families, and unite in solidarity and hope." The 5:30 p.m. event goes to 8 p.m. and organizers urge people to use Metro to arrive (Union Station is right across the street). more ›

Both the California state Assembly and Senate today voted in support HR5, which "challenges the legality of Proposition 8, the voter-approved initiative that declares that marriage is defined as between only a man and a woman," reported the Sacramento Bee. more ›

California's Supreme Court will hear arguments on Thursday regarding the legality of our controversial Proposition 8, which was passed by a small margin in November's election. Many of the same lawyers who spoke in the court just one year ago regarding extending the right to legally marry to same-sex couples are expected to return this week to explain "why California's voter-approved ban on same-sex marriage should stand or fall," according to cbs2.com. more ›