Most Dissented Verdict: SCOTUS Sends Back Challenge to CA’s Gun-sale Waiting Period
The U.S. Supreme court declined to hear a challenge to California's 10-day waiting period for gun sales, according to a recent article from Reuters. Justice Clarence Thomas, who dissented, called his fellow justices out for "showing contempt" toward Second Amendment Constitutional protections. The gun rights activists limited their challenge of the waiting period to those who already owned a gun and passed a background check. Thomas criticized the hypocrisy of the decision and said SCOTUS would likely have taken cases involving racism, abortion or traffic stops. The Supreme Court has turned down a number of major gun cases since rulings in 2008 and 2010 establishing the right to own a gun for self-defense.
Most Gendered Verdict: Ex-UCLA Oncologist Wins $13M After Gender Mistreatment
Former University of California, Los Angeles oncologist Dr. Lauren Pinter-Brown won $13 million after a superior court affirmed her gender discrimination claims, according to an article from a local CBS affiliate. The 63-year-old doctor also made an age-bias complaint that was ultimately rejected.
She filed the complaint after alleging she was referred to as a "diva" and "angry woman" and was told "everyone hates you." At the time she filed the suit, she was the only woman in her department. Of the $13 million she was awarded, $10 million were for "non-economic damages," according to the article.
Most Reinstated Verdict: Appellate Court Sides Against Chicago, Cop in Fatal Killing
Upon appeal, the Illinois Appellate Court reversed course and reinstated a $3.5 million verdict against the City of Chicago after a fatal shooting of a black 19-year-old, according to an article from the Chicago Tribune.
Prior to the Appellate Court ruling, Judge Elizabeth Budzinsk sided with Officer Marco Proano and the city after Proano shot and killed Nick Husband outside a party in 2011. However, the Appellate Court found Budzinsk erred and, even though the jury found Proano has reason to believe his life was in danger, the killing was unjustified.
Proano was indicted on separate excessive force charges in 2013 for a shooting involving a car full of teenagers, making him one of the only Chicago police officers convicted of a federal crime related to an on-duty shooting.
Most Transparent Verdict: Federal Court Upholds NY Law Requiring Big Donor Disclosures
A federal appeals court found a challenge to a New York law requiring nonprofits to identify information about large donors and report them to the Attorney General's Office to be meritless. So reports The New York Daily News.
Nonprofits are required to disclose the contributions, names and addresses of their biggest donors, under the law. The 2015 case was brought by Citizens United, which argued identifying donors exposes them to potential backlash and "financial harm." The group is considering petitioning the full appeals court or possibly the U.S. Supreme court.
Most Patient Verdicts: Murder Verdict Handed Down Nearly Four Decades After Killing, Attempted Suicide
Philip Fournier, accused of killing 16-year-old Joyce McLain in 1980, was found guilty of murder, according to CBS affiliate WABI. There was no forensic evidence tying him to the Maine crime scene. However, details he was able to recount regarding the incident and an apparent confession were enough for a conviction. He attempted to kill himself within hours of the murder. His lawyer is planning an appeal and he has yet to be sentenced.