A man scheduled to stand trial next week pleaded no contest to second-degree murder for a Placer County death from fentanyl, a deadly synthetic opioid that has been sold by dealers on social media and other online platforms. James Scott Teahan Jr., 35, was convicted of murder in the death of Stephen Windham, who died from fentanyl on April 24, 2024.

When CARE Courts were introduced in California in 2022, they were touted as a way to help California’s most vulnerable. The system was designed to allow family members, first responders, and others to petition the courts on another person’s behalf, who may be homeless, severely mentally ill, or both, to compel them into a variety of treatments. As of July of 2025, just 2,421 petitions have been filed, with 45% of all petitions being dismissed. New legislation has been introduced to address some perceived gaps in care.

The Supreme Court held unanimously on Wednesday that a chain of faith-based antiabortion pregnancy centers can mount a federal court challenge to a subpoena for its donors that it claims is part of an intimidation campaign by New Jersey officials hostile to its views on abortion.

The ruling allows states or courts to design voting districts in order to protect racial minorities. But that may not be the case in California, where minority populations are not concentrated in hotly contested congressional district and might not be greatly affected by the decision.