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Lawsuits
The Lawsuits Channel contains information relating to the non-criminal aspects of the court system.
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Why the 'Streisand Effect' Might Actually Make a Cover-up Go Viral
When Barbra Streisand sued a photographer who took a photo of her house, the ensuing publicity called far more attention to the picture than it would have gotten otherwise. And that's not the only time attempted censorship has backfired.
Why Is 'Intersectionality' So Controversial?
Intersectionality was originally a legal way to recognize that people who were members of more than one identity group deserved equal treatment. But critics have charged that intersectionality has fostered a sort of 'oppression Olympics.'
You Know These 7 Supreme Court Cases by Name, But What Did They Decide?
Some Supreme Court cases are so well known they're often referred to by their case names (ever heard of Roe v. Wade?) But what were the cases really about and what did they decide?
Mitsuye Endo: The Woman Who Took Down Executive Order 9066
You probably don't know her name, but Mitsuye Endo was the plaintiff in the landmark lawsuit that ultimately led to the closing of the U.S. Japanese internment camps after the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
How and Why Are Documents Redacted?
The big blacked-out sections of the Mueller report are calling attention to redaction. The process of redaction can be sophisticated or simple. And sometimes, not completely fool-proof.
Can a Supreme Court Justice Be Removed?
The Constitution allows Supreme Court justices to be impeached by the House and put on trial by the Senate, but it's only happened once and that was in 1805.
How Breaking a Nondisclosure Agreement Works
Nondisclosure agreements used to be stuffy legal documents reserved for safeguarding company secrets. Now they've been in the news as part of sexual harassment coverups. What are NDAs exactly and when can you break them legally?
The Backstory on Backpage.com, the Adult Classifieds Site That Got Shut Down
Does this mean that a website actually is responsible for the content created by that site's users?
Friends Don’t Let (Online-Ordained) Friends Officiate at Their Weddings
Online ordination may be quick and easy and presiding at a friend's wedding may be fun and meaningful. But these marriages haven't always held up in court.
Review Websites Like TripAdvisor Are Under Fire. Is That Warranted?
TripAdvisor deleted — and later reinstated — a hotel review where a visitor alleged she had been raped. How can review websites legally balance their duty to warn users as well as to beware of false, defamatory content?
Should Nature Have the Right to Sue in Court?
A lawsuit in federal court in Colorado seeks to establish that the Colorado River ecosystem has legal rights similar to those of a person.
The Scopes Monkey Trial Was a Historic Debate Over Evolution … And a Publicity Ploy
The controversial case in the tiny Tennessee town of Dayton drew national media attention — and live apes. But all that spectacle wasn't for naught.
Loving v. Virginia: The Landmark Case That Legalized Interracial Marriage in the US
Richard and Mildred Loving's interracial marriage was against the law. But it led to the Supreme Court's historic decision in 1967 to ban anti-miscegenation laws across the country.
Can You Sue Over 'Third-hand Smoke' Exposure?
Research shows that nicotine residue lingering in furniture and carpets may be hazardous to kids. Could that mean legal action for unsuspecting homeowners and tenants?
How One Missing Oxford Comma Changed an Entire Legal Decision
The divisive serial comma finally got its day in court—it was glorious.
Is it Ever Legal to Punch Someone in the Face? Oh Yeah
Guy walks into a bar looking for a fight. When is it legal and illegal to clock him?
The Real Reason Website and App Terms of Service Are So Confusing
Companies are actually hoping you won't read these 8,000-word documents before you click "agree." But why?
How Good Samaritan Laws Work
Good Samaritan laws are intended to protect you from a lawsuit if you help strangers during an emergency. But they may not protect you in every situation.
Saudi Women Petition Against Male Guardianship
Thousands of Saudi women signed a petition that seeks the end of the country's male guardianship system. How does that system affect Saudi women now?
Breaking the Law to Enforce It: Cops and the Supreme Court
The Supreme Court has ruled in a big Fourth Amendment case that under certain circumstances, evidence found during an illegal stop could be used in legal proceedings.
The (White) Doctor Will See You Now: Why Racist Hospital Patients Often Win
Bigoted requests aren't as rare as you might think in hospitals. It's also not rare for hospitals to accommodate such requests. Why?
Merrick Garland Is a Legal Mystery
After nearly two decades as a judge, the Supreme Court nominee's record offers few clues as to where he stands on many social issues.
Religious Freedom Acts Born Out of ... Peyote
It's not quite what you'd expect, is it?
10 Things That Aren't Free Speech
Free speech is one of America's most fiercely guarded freedoms, but that doesn't mean that citizens can say whatever they like with no threat of punishment. In several cases, the U.S. Supreme Court has ruled in favor of limitations.
How Free Speech Works
In the U.S., can you truly say anything you want, or are there limits? Who decides them? And might this change in the age of the globally connected village?
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