Balough
December 13, 2013
A taxpayer does have the right to challenge the expenditure of funds for President Bush’s “Faith-Based and Community Initiatives” based on the establishment of religion clause of the constitution. The Seventh Circuit found that money spent by the executive branch for conferences under the program created by executive order gives a taxpayer the right to […]
Balough
December 12, 2013
The Indiana House of Representatives has been barred from following its long tradition of opening with a prayer until those giving the invocation stop referring to Jesus Christ, the Savior and the Son of God. An Indianapolis federal judge found that the Indiana House’s practice violates the Establishment Clause of the First Amendment. The clause […]
Balough
December 12, 2013
A statute that criminalized making false bad statements about a police officer but did not punish those who made false good statements violates the First Amendment, the Ninth Circuit found. The court overturned the conviction of Darren Chaker who was sentenced to two days in jail and three years probation after he filed a report […]
Balough
December 12, 2013
Telephone solicitations from non-profit organizations need not follow the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) guidelines but only if the calls are made by in-house staff, the Fourth Circuit has ruled. The FTC lacks jurisdiction over non-profit organizations. That’s why in 1994 when the Telemarketing Consumer Fraud and Abuse Prevention Act’s rules went into effect, non-profits were […]
Balough
December 9, 2013
White buffalos cannot roam with Texas Longhorns, at least on the University’s email system. The Fifth Circuit upheld a decision denying an injunction to White Buffalo Ventures that sought to send commercial emails to University of Texas students. White Buffalo argues that the university could not block the emails because the action was contrary to […]
