Nov 11, 2024
A close-up of a gavel resting on a wooden block, symbolizing justice and courtroom proceedings.
Murder by Poisoning Is Not First Degree Without Intent to Kill

The mother of a five-day-old baby was charged with first-degree murder after her new baby daughter died from ingesting the heroin-derived morphine and methamphetamine that were in her breast milk. She was convicted and sentenced to a prison term of 25 years to life. The California Supreme Court ruled that... Read More »

An AI-generated image of a character from the comic "Zarya of the Dawn," created using the Midjourney tool.
AI Comic Loses Copyright Protections

“Artificial intelligence” and “deep-fake” technology are getting more powerful by the day, raising a host of complex legal questions. The U.S. Copyright Office appears to have settled at least one debate recently, ruling that images created using the AI-powered Midjourney image generator should not have been granted copyright protection. AI... Read More »

A person in a suit with a mask holds a finger to their lips while displaying cash, symbolizing secrecy in campaign finance.
California Businesses Challenge State’s New Campaign Finance Law

When Rudyard Kipling wrote “Never the twain shall meet,” he probably did not realize how apt his poetry would be to describe political conflicts of interest. Questions about how and whether to prevent elected officials from personally benefiting from the votes they cast are all over the news. This questionable... Read More »

A view of barricades labeled "CHOP" during the Capitol Hill Occupied Protest zone in Seattle, with protesters and vehicles in the background.
Seattle to Pay $3.65M Over Mishandling of Autonomous CHOP Zone

The city of Seattle has agreed to a $3.65 million settlement to end a lawsuit brought forward by Seattle community members following the nationwide 2020 George Floyd protests. As social justice protests throughout the nation began to simmer down, Seattle remained a hub for activists demanding police reform. In June... Read More »

Logo of Fox News Channel displayed on a building.
Dominion Voting Systems headed to trial against Fox News in $1.6 billion defamation suit, with Rupert Murdoch admitting some personalities “endorsed” Trump’s voter fraud lies

It isn’t often that right-wing media tycoon Rupert Murdoch is questioned under oath, but neither is it often that a voting machinery company is suing a media corporation for defamation. Murdoch, the co-chairman of the Fox Corporation, the executive chairman of News Corp, and leader of a media empire including... Read More »