The Ninth U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals held Friday that tribal officials are not shielded by qualified immunity as to a state enforcement action seeking damages against them, in their personal capacities.

The appeal came from Kim Davis, a former Kentucky county clerk who repeatedly refused to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Justice Amy Coney Barrett in her new book described marriage as a ‘fundamental right’ protected by the Constitution.

(Subscription required) Los Angeles' public defense network faces a chain of strain as the Alternate Public Defender's Office declines dozens of homicide cases, forcing private conflict panel attorneys and the county budget to absorb the impact.

Div. Two of the Fourth District Court of Appeal held Friday that a recently enacted law providing that criminal restitution fines “shall be vacated” after 10 years does not trigger a right to a full resentencing hearing to consider every aspect of the defendant’s sentence.