Egypt court rules parliamentary election process unconstitutional

Wed, February 22, 2012 - 10:33:22 am

[JURIST] The High Administrative Court of Egypt [JURIST news archive] ruled Monday that the voting system used in the recent parliamentary election was unconstitutional. The election was held over three stages from late November to January, and its the elaborate voting system apportioned parliamentary seats between political parties and individuals, with two thirds of the seats going to political parties. Judge Magdy el-Agaty determined the ratio to be in violation of the constitution [Reuters report], that half of the seats... read more

Maldives president orders probe into violence accompanying rise to power

Wed, February 22, 2012 - 10:33:00 am

[JURIST] Maldives President Mohammed Waheed Hassan [official profile] appointed a commission on Wednesday to investigate the violence that accompanied his rise to power. Hassan assumed power of Maldives when former president Mohamed Nasheed resigned [JURIST report] on February 7 following weeks of protests. Nasheed claims he was forced from office in a coup. Supporters of Nasheed took to the streets after his ouster and burned down government buildings in violent demonstrations. The three-member commission was appointed [AP report] by Hassan... read more

Proposition 8 supporters ask for new hearing before entire Ninth Circuit

Wed, February 22, 2012 - 9:43:05 am

[JURIST] Proponents of Proposition 8 [text; JURIST news archive], California's same-sex marriage ban, on Tuesday requested a new hearing [petition, PDF] before the full US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit [official website]. The request comes after a three-judge panel voted 2-1 to overturn the law [JURIST report], finding that it violated the Equal Protection Clause of the Fourteenth Amendment [Cornell II backgrounder]. The Protect Marriage Coalition [advocacy website] has alleged [news release] that the decision was at odds... read more

DC Circuit affirms dismissal of Guantanamo detainee wrongful death suit

Wed, February 22, 2012 - 8:42:24 am

[JURIST] The US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit [official website] on Tuesday affirmed [opinion, PDF] the dismissal of wrongful death claims by the families of two former Guantanamo Bay [JURIST backgrounder] detainees, Yasser Al-Zahrani of Saudi Arabia and Salah Al-Salami of Yemen, who committed suicide while in detention in 2006. The families filed a civil lawsuit against the US and 24 government officials, including former US defense secretary Donald Rumsfeld [JURIST news archive], claiming they were... read more

Maryland Senate committee approves same-sex marriage bill

Wed, February 22, 2012 - 7:38:55 am

[JURIST] The Maryland State Senate [official website] Judicial Proceedings Committee [official website] approved a bill [SB241 text] on Tuesday that would permit the legal marriage of same-sex couples within the state. This bill is a cross-filing of HB438 which was approved [JURIST report] by the Maryland House of Delegates [official website] last week. The bill is expected to move to debate by the full Senate [WP report] after the Committee approved the measure with a vote of 7-4. A similar... read more

Israel to release Palestinian prisoner on hunger strike

Wed, February 22, 2012 - 6:07:13 am

[JURIST] A Palestinian held without trial ended his 66-day hunger strike on Tuesday after Israeli authorities announced his release as part of a deal that avoids judicial review of the Israeli detention policy. The prisoner, Khader Adnan, is a 33-year-old member of the militant group Islamic Jihad who had been refusing food since his arrest in the West Bank in mid-December. He broke his hunger protest when he was promised to be released [Reuters report] in April if no new... read more

Supreme Court hears arguments on real estate fees, interpreters

Tue, February 21, 2012 - 2:58:45 pm

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website] heard oral arguments [day call, PDF] in two cases Tuesday. In Freeman v. Quicken Loans, Inc. [transcript, PDF; JURIST report] the court heard arguments on whether Section 8(b) of the Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act (RESPA) [text] prohibits a real estate settlement services provider from only charging an unearned fee when the fee is divided between two or more parties. The US Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit held [opinion, PDF] that... read more

Supreme Court clarifies 'aggravated felony' for immigrant removal purposes

Tue, February 21, 2012 - 1:30:04 pm

[JURIST] The US Supreme Court [official website] ruled 6-3 [opinion, PDF] on Tuesday in Kawashima v. Holder [SCOTUSblog backgrounder] that, under the Immigration and Nationality Act [8 USC § 1101 et seq.], the making of false tax returns is a crime involving fraud or deceit, which can result in deportation, when the government suffers a loss of more than $10,000. Petitioners Akio and Fusako Kawashima are natives and citizens of Japan who were living in California as lawful permanent residents.... read more