Law

National

American Soldier Pleads Guilty In Afghan Massacre

10:26pm July 03, 2013

Army Sgt. Robert Bales pleaded guilty Wednesday to killing 16 Afghan civilians in a nighttime massacre. Audie Cornish talks with NPR's Martin Kaste, who listened to Sgt. Bales recount the killings at a military court hearing in Washington state. Bales has struck a deal with prosecutors that will spare him the death penalty.

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One of the attorneys in the California Proposition 8 case, David Boies (center), speaks outside the Supreme Court as he's surrounded by plaintiffs in the case, couples Paul Katami (from left) and Jeff Zarrillo, and Sandy Stier and Kris Perry.

Reporter: In Court Rulings, Roberts Takes Long-Term Approach

12:07pm July 03, 2013

Adam Liptak, who covers the Supreme Court for The New York Times, says that in the years Chief Justice John Roberts has led the court, his patient and methodical approach has allowed him to establish a robustly conservative record.

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Kyle Fronke inventories the wine in Kahn's Fine Wines and Spirits in Indianapolis last year. Only liquor stores in the state can sell cold beer, and on Sunday, practically all carry out alcohol sales are prohibited.

National

Guess Who's Fighting To Keep Indiana Dry On Sundays?

9:52am July 03, 2013

by Sara Wittmeyer

Indiana is the only state where you can't buy packaged beer, wine and liquor on Sundays and the only state that regulates alcohol sales based on temperature. Convenience stores want to change the laws, but the state's liquor stores — who would seem to have the most to gain — are fighting back.

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After DOMA Ruling, Government Scrambles To Adjust

8:12pm July 02, 2013

by Scott Horsley

After the Supreme Court ruling overturning the Defense of Marriage Act, President Obama ordered federal agencies to revise their rules regarding benefits for same-sex spouses. But that will be simpler for some federal agencies than others.

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You Ask, We Answer: Demystifying The Affordable Care Act

10:25am July 02, 2013

by Julie Rovner

Think buying health insurance through the Affordable Care Act will be confusing? You're not alone. NPR listeners asked questions that have been bugging them about state insurance exchanges and other new options. NPR health policy correspondent Julie Rovner explains how it's going to work.

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National

Judge Who Struck Down Proposition 8 Knew Case Would Go Far

9:25pm June 29, 2013

by Nina Totenberg

Retired federal Judge Vaughn Walker set the California gay marriage ban on its way to the Supreme Court with his ruling in 2010. On Wednesday, the high court kept his decision intact. Walker shares his insight into the justices' strategy and the controversy he's waded through as a gay judge.

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Field director Charles White of the NAACP speaks at a podium outside the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday. The court ruled that a key part of the Voting Rights Act is unconstitutional.

National

Legalese Aside, How Do We Talk About Race Nowadays?

7:07pm June 29, 2013

by NPR Staff

The news this week has put race on America's brain. There were the Supreme Court decisions, the trial of George Zimmerman and the downfall of celebrity chef Paula Deen. But the country is still fumbling through persistent inequality, even in the absence of overt prejudice.

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Miami Public Service Aide Tatayana Harris enters information into her laptop after clearing an accident in Miami's Little Havana community. Harris has been a Miami Police PSA for five years and hopes to become a police officer.

National

Police Take Different Approaches To 'The Tyranny Of 911'

9:22pm June 28, 2013

by NPR Staff

Most people know to phone 911 in an emergency, but police departments are often overwhelmed by the sheer volume of calls. Some cities use 311 lines to help divert non-emergency requests, while Miami dispatches a group of unarmed public servants to tackle many non-urgent situations.

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National

Same-Sex Marriages Resume In California

9:22pm June 28, 2013

The U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals lifted its injunction on gay marriages in California on Friday. They'd been on hold while the challenges to Proposition 8 worked their way through the appeals process.

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Detection Dogs And The Law: The Right To Sniff And Seize

3:31pm June 28, 2013

The Supreme Court is expected to rule on two cases involving detector dogs and the limits of reasonable search and seizure. Surrounding the cases are larger questions about the effectiveness of detector dogs and the legal questions that arise when they are used for law enforcement.

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