Dear John,

A recent report from Daily Kos [[link removed]] shows how state courts can be a bright spot in the fight for reproductive rights amid attacks on reproductive rights by federal courts, from the U.S. Supreme Court’s devastating opinion [[link removed]] that overturned Roe v. Wade to troubling lower court decisions [[link removed]] that have jeopardized access to abortion drugs. This fascinating report highlights how state courts can interpret state constitutions to protect reproductive rights where the Supreme Court has determined that such a right is not protected in the U.S. Constitution. The report highlights a recent decision from the Montana Supreme Court that struck down a law requiring minors seeking abortions to obtain parental consent due to an explicit privacy protection found in Montana’s constitution; the report also highlighted another recent decision from the Utah Supreme Court that ordered the state’s current abortion protections to remain in place while the constitutionality of a recently-passed near-total abortion ban is litigated in lower courts. As the report notes, state courts may continue to provide the best hope that abortion access remains safe and legal while the conservative supermajority maintains its stranglehold on the U.S. Supreme Court.

ETHICS UPDATE

A conservative majority on the North Carolina Supreme Court has once again allowed one of their colleagues to hear a case involving his father, the leader of the Republican-held North Carolina Senate. Read all about this latest affront to judicial impartiality here. [[link removed]]

VACANCIES AND ELECTIONS
Four attorneys applied to become the next chief justice of the Nebraska Supreme Court; a nominee to fill a vacancy to the New Jersey Supreme Court has been confirmed by the New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee; and new chief justices have been chosen for the Kentucky and South Carolina supreme courts. And with the November 5 general election less than six weeks away and over 80 seats up for election across 33 states, your state may be holding an election for your state supreme court! Find out in our latest vacancies and elections updates here! [[link removed]]

LOOKING AHEAD

CASES IN THE COURTS

Supreme courts around the country granted ballot access to numerous initiatives that seek to amend state laws concerning abortion rights, elections systems and ballot access, legislative redistricting, and school vouchers; and other state supreme courts issued important rulings concerning civil rights, criminal justice, education, environmental protections, housing and land use rights, and voting rights. Read these important rulings from state supreme courts around the nation here! [[link removed]]

KEEP YOUR EYES ON

In the coming months, state supreme courts will decide whether those with felony convictions can vote in November, who should be responsible for the cleanup of toxic spills, whether a climate lawsuit filed by children should be dismissed, and the minimum amount of time that should pass between executions. These courts will also consider important cases involving minimum wage laws, post-conviction challenges, DNA exoneration, disability benefits, water rights, gun laws, executive privilege, First Amendment claims, public records laws, and election administration. Learn about the latest news on all things state supreme courts here! [[link removed]]

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