Last week, Attorney General Brad Schimel filed with the U.S. Supreme Court the opening brief in Gill v. Whitford, the legal challenge to Wisconsin Republicans’ redistricting map brought by Democratic voters against officials of the Wisconsin Elections Commission. In the brief, Schimel argues that the Supreme Court should dismiss the district court decision because the […]
SCOTUS to Hear Wisconsin Redistricting Case
Date Fri, Jun. 23, 2017 - 10:11am By Hamilton
On June 19, the U.S. Supreme Court announced it will review the legal challenge to the Republicans’ redistricting map. By 5-4 vote, the Supreme Court also granted Attorney General Brad Schimel’s request to stay the lower court’s order requiring a timely redrawing of the Assembly district map. The redistricting case, Gill v. Whitford, was brought […]
President Trump Nominates Judge Neil Gorsuch to Supreme Court
Date Fri, Feb. 3, 2017 - 10:08am By Hamilton
Neil Gorsuch, a 49-year-old appellate judge in Colorado, was appointed to the Supreme Court by President Trump on Tuesday. Born in Denver, Colorado, Judge Gorsuch attended Georgetown Preparatory School in Washington, D.C. while his mother led the Environmental Protection Agency under President Reagan. He completed his undergraduate degree at Columbia University and went on to […]
AG Schimel Sues EPA over New Ozone Standard
Date Fri, May. 6, 2016 - 9:03am By Hamilton
Wisconsin joined a coalition of states and industry groups challenging EPA’s new ozone standard. The new standard was released on October 26, 2015, and lowers the ozone standard to 70 parts per billion (ppb). The states filed their brief in the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia on April 22, 2016. […]
Evenwel v. Abbott – “One Person, One Vote”
Date Fri, Apr. 15, 2016 - 9:49am By Hamilton
The Supreme Court unanimously rejected a challenge by two Texas voters to the “one person, one vote” principle. The plaintiffs argued that Texas violated the Equal Protection Clause by drawing districts that contained approximately the same total population, but varying amounts of eligible voters. Justice Ginsburg writing for the Court held “based on constitutional history, […]
Justice Scalia’s Absence Felt on the Court – Public Sector Unions Escape Unscathed
Date Wed, Mar. 30, 2016 - 4:26pm By Hamilton
The Supreme Court reached a decision in the case Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association On Tuesday. The first major case, presumably of many, to be affected by Justice Scalia’s abrupt death. The case involved 10 nonunion public school teachers who argued their free speech rights were violated by having to pay the equivalent of union […]
Gov. Walker Reinforces SCOTUS Stay of Clean Power Plan through Executive Order
Date Thu, Feb. 18, 2016 - 6:20pm By Hamilton
On February 9, 2016 the U.S. Supreme Court issued a stay for the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan (CPP) until the litigation surrounding it is resolved. Justices Kennedy, Alito, Thomas, Scalia and Chief Justice Roberts voted in favor of the stay. Justices Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan voted to deny the application. This […]
Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association – Act 10 nationwide?
Date Fri, Jan. 22, 2016 - 10:43am By Hamilton
The Court is taking up a variety of interesting cases this term ranging from affirmative action in undergraduate admissions to redistricting. A particularly interesting case is Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association et al. The case involves 10 nonunion public school teachers who argue their free speech rights are violated by having to pay the equivalent […]
UPDATE: Redistricting Lawsuit Moves Forward
Date Tue, Dec. 22, 2015 - 3:39pm By Hamilton
Last week, a panel of three federal judges ruled that a case filed by twelve Wisconsin Democrats against the state’s legislative redistricting plan can move forward. The Wisconsin Department of Justice (DOJ), representing Government Accountability Board (GAB), had argued that the plaintiffs lacked standing to file suit, as they did not have a challenger from […]
Friedrichs v. California Teachers Association
Date Thu, Oct. 1, 2015 - 2:32pm By Hamilton
While some get excited for fall because the leaves change, the Pumpkin Spice Latte is back at Starbucks and the temperatures drop, court watchers get excited because a new U.S. Supreme Court term is beginning. The Court is taking up a variety of interesting cases this term ranging from affirmative action in undergraduate admissions to […]