The Georgia Supreme Court is grappling with whether a trial judge may exclude from the courtroom a plaintiff whose physical condition may attract undue attention from jurors. The case before the justices involves a girl with cerebral palsy, but justices seemed concerned about how their ruling would affect other sorts of plaintiffs.

A surprisingly unanimous Supreme Court on Wednesday endorsed a “ministerial exception” to employment discrimination laws, asserting that, under the First Amendment, government must keep its nose out of the hiring and firing of clergy. All 12 federal appeals courts have long recognized some form of ministerial exception, but the Supreme Court had not given its imprimatur until now.

A surprisingly unanimous Supreme Court on Wednesday endorsed a “ministerial exception” to employment discrimination laws, asserting that, under the First Amendment, government must keep its nose out of the hiring and firing of clergy. All 12 federal appeals courts have long recognized some form of ministerial exception, but the Supreme Court had not given its imprimatur until now.

In Apple’s smartphone and tablet war with Samsung, a federal judge has held that Apple failed to meet the high burden of demonstrating irreparable harm if the court didn’t issue an injunction. But the ruling wasn’t all good news for Samsung.

A New Jersey judge has lifted some state-imposed restrictions on Occupy Trenton protesters and ordered the return of seized belongings.