Capitol Comments

The Supreme Court has agreed to decide whether medical providers receiving federal funds may be prevented from referring patients for abortions. In California v. Azar the Ninth Circuit held the federal rule at issue is lawful. In Cochran v. Mayor and City Council of Baltimore the Fourth Circuit reached the opposite conclusion.

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A divided U.S. Supreme Court struck down California’s “Tier 1” total ban on indoor religious services, while allowing a 25% capacity limitation. Most of the state is currently under Tier 1 COVID-19 restrictions. It also allowed California’s to continue banning singing and chanting during indoor services.

While a number of Justices issued opinions, the Court issued no majority opinion.  Chief Justice Roberts’ two-...

In PennEast Pipeline Co. v. New Jersey the U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether a private natural gas company may use the federal government’s eminent-domain power to condemn state land.

The Natural Gas Act (NGA) authorizes private gas companies like PennEast to obtain necessary rights of way through eminent domain to build pipelines. PennEast asked a federal district court to condemn 42 properties which belong to New...

In an 8-0 decision in City of Chicago v. Fulton, the U.S. Supreme Court held that the City of Chicago didn’t violate the Bankruptcy Code’s automatic stay provision by holding onto a vehicle impounded after a bankruptcy petition was filed.  The State and Local Legal Center (SLLC) filed an amicus brief in this case asking the...