Top eight today

Top eight stories for today including Ukraine and Russia made tentative progress on reaching a ceasefire; Florida Governor Ron DeSantis vetoed the congressional redistricting map sent to him by his Republican colleagues in the GOP-dominated Legislature; A Maryland man who waved a Confederate flag during the Capitol insurrection pleaded guilty to obstruction, and more.

National

Capitol rioter who waved Confederate flag pleads guilty

A Maryland man who waved a Confederate flag attached to a lacrosse stick during the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot pleaded guilty Tuesday for his role in the insurrection.

The government used this photo of David Blair (in red square) in their case against him for his role in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol riot. (Image via Courthouse News)

Texas faces uphill Supreme Court battle in veteran’s wrongful termination case

The Supreme Court justices were skeptical that states could avoid lawsuits from veterans during oral arguments on Tuesday, questioning Texas’ claims of sovereign immunity to dodge an injured soldier’s wrongful termination case.

An Afghan National Army pickup truck passes parked U.S. armored military vehicles as smoke rises from a fire in a trash burn pit at Forward Operating Base Caferetta Nawzad, Helmand province south of Kabul, Afghanistan, on April 28, 2011. (AP Photo/Simon Klingert, File)

Activision wins approval of $18 million EEOC settlement over California’s objections

Activision Blizzard — maker of the “Call of Duty” and “World of Warcraft” video games — won a federal judge’s approval Tuesday of a $18 million settlement with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission over allegations of sexual harassment and discrimination in its workplace.

This June 13, 2013, photo shows the Activision Blizzard Booth during the Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong, File)

Regional

DeSantis rejects GOP-drawn Florida redistricting map

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced Tuesday he vetoed the congressional redistricting map sent to him by his Republican colleagues in the GOP-dominated Legislature.

Surrounded by lawmakers, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at the end of a legislative session on April 30, 2021, at the Capitol of Florida in Tallahassee. (Wilfredo Lee/AP)

Special election scheduled to fill Devin Nunes’ vacant congressional seat

On April 5, voters in California’s 22nd Congressional District, located in California’s Central Valley, will head to the polls for a special primary election to determine who replaces longtime congressman Devin Nunes.

Campaign sign for Michael Maher, a Republican candidate for California's 22nd Congressional District

California watchdog warns of rampant fraud at sham LA hospice agencies

The California state auditor reported Tuesday that bogus hospice agencies in Los Angeles are likely defrauding Medicare and Medi-Cal on a massive scale, noting a 1,600% increase of such agencies in LA County since 2010.

International

Ukraine-Russia ceasefire talks yield glimmers of hope

Ukraine and Russia made tentative progress on reaching a ceasefire and the outlines of a peace agreement on Tuesday with the Russian military saying it was “drastically reducing” its attacks on Kyiv and the areas surrounding the capital to build “mutual trust.”

A Ukrainian soldier secures the area next to the regional government headquarters of Mykolaiv, Ukraine, following a Russian attack on Tuesday, March 29, 2022. (AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)

EU high court: Judges appointed by undemocratic bodies aren’t inherently illegitimate

The European Union’s top court found on Tuesday that Polish judges selected by an illegal judicial body aren’t per se unlawfully partial.

Police stand outside the Supreme Court in Warsaw, Poland, on May 6, 2021, while the court’s disciplinary chamber examines the case of a judge. (Czarek Sokolowski/AP)

Categories / Closing Arguments

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.