USA Archive - Law Commentary

A woman speaks at a podium displaying a “Save Lives, Tax Billionaires” Proposition 40 campaign sign, with supporters and water bottles nearby.

California's 5% Billionaire Tax Faces Defeat as Voters Back Tax Ban

California's proposed 5% billionaire tax was heading toward defeat Tuesday, November 3, 2026, as voters backed a competing constitutional amendment that would prohibit the state from imposing similar taxes on personal wealth.Proposition 40 had received 43.4% support in preliminary statewide returns, with 56.6% voting against it. Proposition 42, which would... Read More about California's 5% Billionaire Tax Faces Defeat as Voters Back Tax Ban

Russell Brand Rape Trial Goes to Jury After 3 Weeks of Testimony

Jurors began deliberating Tuesday, November 3, 2026, in Russell Brand's rape and sexual assault trial after three weeks of testimony at London's Southwark Crown Court, bringing the seven criminal charges against the British comedian one step closer to a verdict.Judge Joel Bennathan sent the 12-member jury, consisting of eight men... Read More about Russell Brand Rape Trial Goes to Jury After 3 Weeks of Testimony

The U.S. Capitol building and dome stand beneath a blue sky, with an American flag flying nearby.

Democrats Flip House and Senate, Ending Republican Control of Congress

Democrats won control of both the House of Representatives and Senate in the November 3, 2026, midterm elections, ending Republican control of Congress and setting up two years of divided government during the remainder of President Donald Trump's term.The victories give Democrats majorities in both chambers for the first time... Read More about Democrats Flip House and Senate, Ending Republican Control of Congress

Missouri State Capitol building under a bright blue sky.

Missouri Voters Reject Abortion Ban for Second Time in Two Years

Missouri voters rejected a Republican-backed proposal Tuesday, November 3, 2026, to restore a ban on most abortions and add restrictions on gender-affirming medical care for minors to the state constitution, preserving reproductive rights they approved two years earlier.Amendment 3 failed by approximately 55% to 45%, according to preliminary election results.... Read More about Missouri Voters Reject Abortion Ban for Second Time in Two Years

Paris Jackson and a man in a black suit pose together against a red background.

Paris Jackson Demands $600 Million From Michael Jackson's Estate

Paris Jackson is asking a Los Angeles judge to order $600 million transferred from her late father Michael Jackson's estate into a family trust for her and her two brothers, accusing longtime executor John Branca of withholding control over their inheritance more than 17 years after the singer's death.In a... Read More about Paris Jackson Demands $600 Million From Michael Jackson's Estate

Amtrak passenger locomotive stopped beside a station platform and multiple railroad tracks under a blue sky.

Judge Dismisses Amtrak Death Suit After Woman Climbed Over Train

A federal judge has dismissed a wrongful death lawsuit against Amtrak and BNSF Railway after a woman climbed over a stopped freight train while leaving a Washington beach and was struck and killed by an approaching passenger train.U.S. District Judge Ricardo S. Martinez ruled Thursday, October 29, 2026, that Anna... Read More about Judge Dismisses Amtrak Death Suit After Woman Climbed Over Train

Cheerleader in a blue-and-white, star-spangled uniform raises blue-and-silver pom-poms during a performance on a football field.

Live Nation Says My Chemical Romance's Cheerleader Costumes Were Parody

Live Nation is defending My Chemical Romance's use of Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders-style uniforms during a staged gunfight, arguing that the costumes were a parody protected by the First Amendment rather than an attempt to mislead concertgoers.In court papers filed as a trademark dispute moved to federal court, the concert promoter... Read More about Live Nation Says My Chemical Romance's Cheerleader Costumes Were Parody

Clinician performs an ultrasound examination on a pregnant patient’s abdomen.

Ohio Judge Strikes Down Remaining Provisions of Six-Week Abortion Ban

An Ohio judge has permanently struck down medical requirements and penalties tied to the state's six-week abortion ban, rejecting an effort to preserve rules that could send doctors to prison for performing constitutionally protected abortions.Hamilton County Common Pleas Judge Christian Jenkins ruled Thursday, October 29, 2026, that Ohio could no... Read More about Ohio Judge Strikes Down Remaining Provisions of Six-Week Abortion Ban

Blue ICE police sedan parked outside a brick building, displaying large agency lettering and “Defend the Homeland” along its side.

ICE Agent Charged With Running Over Man Who Fled in Houston

A U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officer accused of deliberately running over a fleeing Mexican construction worker in Houston appeared in court Monday, November 2, 2026, after a Texas grand jury indicted him on a felony assault charge.Mario Alberto Morales surrendered to authorities three days after being indicted on... Read More about ICE Agent Charged With Running Over Man Who Fled in Houston

Leah McSweeney in a leopard-print dress and Andy Cohen in a blue suit pose in side-by-side portraits.

Leah McSweeney Drops Lawsuit Against Andy Cohen and Bravo After 2 Years

Former Real Housewives of New York City star Leah McSweeney has dropped her lawsuit against Andy Cohen and Bravo after more than two years, ending a legal battle over allegations that producers exploited her struggles with alcohol and encouraged drug use behind the scenes.McSweeney voluntarily dismissed the claims Friday, October... Read More about Leah McSweeney Drops Lawsuit Against Andy Cohen and Bravo After 2 Years

Snapchat Settles Teen Addiction Lawsuits, Avoids Los Angeles Trial

Snapchat parent Snap Inc. has settled lawsuits brought by two young women who accused the platform of deliberately encouraging addictive behavior and contributing to their mental health problems, ending the second Los Angeles social media addiction trial during jury selection.The agreements, announced Monday, November 2, 2026, resolve claims brought by... Read More about Snapchat Settles Teen Addiction Lawsuits, Avoids Los Angeles Trial

Oklahoma Man Charged Over 700 Election Threat Letters With White Powder

An Oklahoma man was arrested and charged with mailing hundreds of election-related threat letters across the country, some containing white powder, after investigators linked him to more than 700 mailings warning of treason arrests and civil war ahead of the November 3, 2026, midterm elections.Robin Patrick Martin, 67, of Oklahoma... Read More about Oklahoma Man Charged Over 700 Election Threat Letters With White Powder

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital building in St. Petersburg, Florida.

Johns Hopkins Seeks to Cut 'Take Care of Maya' Claims After $213M Reversal

Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital is seeking to further narrow Maya Kowalski’s lawsuit, arguing that Florida law protects it from liability for actions taken during the child abuse investigation at the center of Netflix’s Take Care of Maya documentary.In an October 30, 2026, filing, the hospital asked a Florida state... Read More about Johns Hopkins Seeks to Cut 'Take Care of Maya' Claims After $213M Reversal

Russell Brand's Lawyer Says Media 'Poisoned' Rape Trial

Russell Brand's attorney accused journalists of "poisoning the well of justice" during closing arguments in the comedian's rape trial, claiming that a 2023 television documentary and newspaper investigation influenced the six women who later accused him of sexual assault.Defense lawyer Ian Winter KC told jurors Monday, November 2, 2026, at... Read More about Russell Brand's Lawyer Says Media 'Poisoned' Rape Trial

Two attorneys review legal documents at a desk beside a statue of Lady Justice.

Immigration Lawyers Lose Court Fight Over Access to Client Records

Immigration lawyers challenging how the Department of Homeland Security provides records needed for asylum and deportation cases have lost their federal appeal after judges ruled that the additional time and expense of obtaining those documents did not give them standing to sue.The U.S. Court of Appeals for the First Circuit... Read More about Immigration Lawyers Lose Court Fight Over Access to Client Records