Foreign/International
South Africa High Court Strikes Down Lockdown Regulations As Unconstitutional [Read Judgment]
The High Court of South Africa (Gauteng Division, Pretoria) has held that some lock down regulations imposed by the Government in South Africa in the wake of Covid-19 pandemic are unconstitutional. Judge Norman Davis observed that they do not meet the rationality test.The Court ruled thus in a petition filed by the Liberty Fighters Network advocacy group who contended that the...
US Supreme Court Rejects Church's Plea Against COVID-19 Restrictions In Attendance In Places Of Worship [5:4 Majority]
The Supreme Court of the United States of America on Friday rejected the application for temporary injunction moved by South Bay Pentecostal Church against the restrictions imposed by Governor of California on attendance in places of worship as part of COVID-19 control measures.In response to COVID-19 pandemic, the Governor of California passed an executive order limiting attendance at places...
Gopal Subramanium, First Indian Senior Counsel To Appear Before The Singapore Supreme Court, Wins Appeal In the Daiichi - Ranbaxy Matter
In a huge setback to former promoters of Ranbaxy -- Malvinder Mohan Singh and Shivinder Mohan Singh, the Supreme Court of Singapore on Thursday dismissed their appeal against the judgment of the High Court of Singapore refusing to set aside the Rs 3,500-crore arbitral award in favour of Japanese drug maker Daiichi Sankyo. With this, Senior Advocate Gopal Subramanium, representing...
Discussing Ramos v Louisiana - Racial Discrimination, Doctrine Of Stare-Decisis And Some Concerns
In the midst of COVID-19-related news, the most interesting legal development in the United States went rather unnoticed, at least in India. On 20th April, the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) passed a judgment declaring that the juries (consisting of 12 members) must be unanimous to convict a person accused of a serious offence. A single juror's vote to acquit is enough...
France Top Court Prohibits Use Of Drone For Surveillance Of People Flouting Covid-19 Lockdown Restrictions [Read Judgment]
The Apex Court of France Conseil d'État has ordered the police not to carry out surveillance measures by drone to track people flouting lockdown restrictions.The court said that such devices cannot be used until a privacy law is made or by equipping the devices used by the prefecture of police with technical devices likely to make impossible the identification of people filmed. Human...
US State Of Missouri Sues China Over COVID-19 [Read Complaint]
Alleging that the Chinese Government is responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic, the State of Missouri has filed a lawsuit against all concerned Chinese authorities in a Federal Court.The suit accuses Chinese authorities of suppressing important facts, denying crucial evidence, destroying research and wilfully allowing millions to be exposed to the virus. It goes on to state that COVID-19 was...
Judicial Proceedings Through Video Conferencing Not Inclusive of Persons With Disabilities: UK Human Rights Watchdog [Read Report]
A Human Rights watchdog in the United Kingdom has claimed that conducting judicial proceedings through remote video conferencing is not very inclusive of persons with disabilities. In its interim report titled 'Inclusive Justice: A System Designed For All', the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) has noted that opportunities to identify impairments and make adjustments...
UK Court Rejects Fugitive Economic Offender Vijay Mallya's Appeal Against Extradition Order [Read Judgment]
Liquor baron and fugitive businessman Vijay Mallya's appeal against his extradition order has been rejected by the High Court in United Kingdom on Monday. Pursuant to a request from the Indian Government, the Senior District Judge (SDJ) at the Westminster Magistrate's Court had, in December 2018, ordered Mallya to be extradited back to India so he could face charges of financial...
Get Out Of Bed, Dress Appropriately For Online Hearings : US Judge Urges Lawyers
"It is remarkable how many ATTORNEYS appear inappropriately on camera. We've seen many lawyers in casual shirts and blouses, with no concern for ill-grooming, in bedrooms with the master bed in the background, etc", the judge said.
[COVID-19] United States Supreme Court Will Hear Cases By Telephone Conference
In the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, the Supreme Court of the United States has decided to hear oral arguments by telephone conference in May. A live audio feed of these arguments to the news media, the Court said. It also clarified that the court Building remains open for official business, but most Court personnel are teleworking. Ten cases including those related to the President...