Court reporter Martinson honored for 40 years service

Judge Mike Hurly presented court reporter Deb Martinson with a 40 Year Service Award at the Pierce County Courthouse in Rugby on Sept. 30.

U.S.: Supreme Court is divided over gay, transgender job bias in civil rights case

USA Today: "The Supreme Court appeared deeply divided Tuesday on a major civil rights question: whether gay and transgender people are covered by a federal law barring employment discrimination on the basis of sex."

Judge with running program wins inaugural GameChanger Award

Bismarck Tribune: "South Central District Judge David Reich got tired of seeing the same faces in his courtroom, so he started a running program to help keep addicts from relapsing."

U.S. Supreme Court Oct. 8 arguments

Tuesday, the United States Supreme Court will hear arguments in two cases involving employment discrimination related to employee sexual orientation or gender identity.

SCJD to present free CLE program on criminal law practice

The South Central Judicial District will offer a free continuing legal education program in October geared to attorneys practicing criminal law. The program is titled "Courtroom Criminal Basics" and two-hour sessions will be held beginning at 4 p.m. on Tuesdays Oct. 8, 15, 22, and 29.

U.S.: Court seems ready to require unanimous juries as term opens

Associated Press: "The Supreme Court began a potentially contentious election-year term Monday in seeming general agreement that juries in state criminal trials must be unanimous to convict a defendant."

U.S.: Case of bungled pot raid on tomato-loving family revived anew

Courthouse News Service: "The bizarre case of a Kansas sheriff’s department that mistook tomato plants and loose-leaf tea for evidence of a marijuana grow and accordingly launched a SWAT-style raid on an innocent suburban family will return to a lower court for a third crack at a judgment."

Minnesota court strikes down coercion law on free speech grounds

Courthouse News Service: "Minnesota prosecutors charged a man under an unconstitutional statute after he threatened to send video of his ex-girlfriend talking about marijuana to her employer, a state appeals court ruled Monday."

U.S. Supreme Court Oct. 7 arguments

Monday, the United States Supreme Court hears arguments in a case on non-unanimous juries, a case on the insanity defense and a patent application case.

Job Announcement

A job announcement for an Attorney II with the Commission on Legal Counsel for Indigents in Minot has been posted.