Freedom

Supreme Court Watch

Court Declines to Hear Gay Marriage Case
WASHINGTON - The Supreme Court on Monday sidestepped a dispute over gay marriages, rejecting a challenge to the nation's only law sanctioning such unions. Justices had been asked by conservative groups to overturn the year-old decision by the Massachusetts Supreme Court legalizing gay marriage. They declined, without comment.

Court Examines Gender Equity Law
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court is considering whether a landmark gender equity law protects an Alabama high school coach who complained about unfair treatment of his girls' basketball team, a case testing the scope of women's athletic rights. The coach, Roderick Jackson, lost his job in 2001 after repeatedly asking the Birmingham Board of Education to provide his team a regulation-size gym with basketball rims that weren't bent — just like the boys' team had.

Wary Court Considers Medical Marijuana
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court appeared hesitant Monday to endorse medical marijuana for patients who have a doctor's recommendation. Justices are considering whether sick people in 11 states with medical marijuana laws can get around a federal ban on pot.

Excerpts of Medical Marijuana Arguments
Excerpts from Monday's Supreme Court oral argument on medical marijuana, as transcribed by Alderson Reporting Co.

Ruling on Hitler Artwork to Stand
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court let stand Monday a lower court ruling allowing the U.S. Army to keep four watercolors painted by Adolf Hitler that were seized in Germany after World War II. Without comment, the justices turned aside a challenge by the family of late German photographer Heinrich Hoffmann Sr., which had sought either the return of the paintings as well as 2.5 million photographs — or millions of dollars in damages.

High Court Sidesteps Campaign Spending
WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court passed up a chance Monday to revisit the constitutionality of campaign spending limits in a closely watched case from New Mexico. Justices, without comment, let stand a lower ruling striking down the city of Albuquerque's spending limits as a violation of free speech rights. The court declined to consider whether a 28-year-old landmark decision barring caps should be reassessed due to skyrocketing campaign costs that critics say promotes corruption.

Court Declines 'Super Aspirin' Case
ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- The University of Rochester's costly legal battle to reap billions of dollars in royalties from a new class of "super aspirin" appeared to be over Monday, after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to hear its claims. Without explanation, the high court denied the school's request for a review of lower court rulings that dismissed its patent-infringement claims against the makers of painkillers known as cox-2 inhibitors.

Posted by Editor at November 30, 2004 11:18 AM