Nightly Brief

Your Monday night briefing from the staff of Courthouse News

Top CNS stories for today including a Colorado baker who refused to design a wedding cake for a gay couple because of his Christian beliefs won a 7-2 reversal Monday from the U.S. Supreme Court; President Trump insisted Monday on Twitter that he has an “absolute” right to pardon himself; a new report says Facebook struck deals allowing at least 60 device makers to access users’ personal information, and more.

Sign up for CNS Nightly Brief, a roundup of the day’s top stories delivered directly to your email Monday through Friday.

National

1.) A Colorado baker who refused to design a wedding cake for a gay couple because of his Christian beliefs won a 7-2 reversal Monday from the U.S. Supreme Court.

2.) In an ongoing assail of the special counsel’s Russia probe, President Trump insisted Monday on Twitter that he has an “absolute” right to pardon himself.

3.) People who use Facebook on their smartphones have more reason to be concerned about data privacy following a report that the social media giant struck deals allowing at least 60 device makers to access users’ personal information.

4.) The U.S. Supreme Court ruled Monday that a defendant who takes a plea deal can get a lighter sentence if guidelines are changed later, but those who were sentenced based on mandatory minimums and their assistance to the government are not eligible for sentencing reductions if the guidelines are lowered.

Regional

5.) The Iowa Supreme Court ruled that a church board engaged in protected free speech when it said two female members were “adulteresses” who gave into temptation after they were pressured into sex with the pastor.

6.) The U.S. Department of Agriculture improperly rescinded an Ohio farming cooperative’s ability to offer insurance rebates to its members after a merger that doubled its membership, the Sixth Circuit ruled Monday.

 Science

7.) Following the recent introduction of the common Asian toad to Madagascar, a new study suggests fears that the toxic amphibian will threaten the island’s animal populations are valid.

8.) In a first-of-its-kind study issued Monday, economists from around the globe used simulations to chart the decline of fossil fuels industries and the repercussions for the global economy.

Subscribe to Closing Arguments

Sign up for new weekly newsletter Closing Arguments to get the latest about ongoing trials, major litigation and hot cases and rulings in courthouses around the U.S. and the world.

Email *

Submit