When dozens of women sued their OB-GYN for sexual assault, a judge said the case falls under the state’s medical malpractice law. As the women appeal, lawmakers are asking whether that law should be changed.

Prelitigation panels are meant to judge the merit of a complaint against a provider ahead of a lawsuit. But some attorneys see them as “nothing more than an obstruction” for victims.

The vote last week helps those assaulted in medical settings. But it won’t help the 94 women whose suit brought the issue to light.

Undocumented immigrants in the state can own and register their vehicles, but they aren’t allowed to drive them, forcing many farm workers to risk fines and arrest. “It’s a Catch-22 for a lot of folks,” advocates say.

ProPublica found few jurisdictions have laws or regulations to protect homeowners from aggressive real estate tactics short of fraud or elder abuse.

Ohio is among at least five states where physicians have mobilized to protect reproductive rights. Here’s what doctors in the state are doing to protect abortion.

Surging interest from visitors is contributing to a more honest telling of the city’s role in the American slave trade. But tensions are flaring as South Carolina lawmakers restrict race-based teachings.

A bill that would require purchasing the kits is facing key opposition after ProPublica and The Texas Tribune found no evidence that they’d ever been used to find a missing child. The probe previously spurred Texas to strip millions in funding.

The legislation seeks to improve data and research, as well as develop stillbirth awareness materials. Many women interviewed by ProPublica said they didn’t know they were at risk until they delivered their stillborn baby.

At least a dozen states have banned the practice of jailing people without charges while they await mental health treatment. But Mississippi routinely keeps people in jail during the civil commitment process.

In Mississippi, serious mental illness or substance abuse can land you in jail, even if you aren’t charged with a crime. The state is a stark outlier in jailing so many people for so long, but many officials say they don’t have another option.

It’s clear that abortion bans can make pregnancy more dangerous, but experts say it may take years for maternal mortality data to reveal the toll.

It’s a simple bargain: The rich get huge tax breaks by donating art, property and company shares to benefit the public. But some donors collect millions while offering little or no public access.