Free Republic

A federal magistrate judge has denied Hunter Biden’s request to appear virtually for his first court hearing in the federal gun case against him and set his arraignment for September 26. The initial court appearance and arraignment for President Joe Biden’s son will be held at 10 a.m. ET on Tuesday before Magistrate Judge Christopher J. Burke. “In the end, the Court agrees with both Defendant … and the Government … that Defendant should not receive special treatment in this matter – absent some unusual circumstance, he should be treated just as would any other defendant in our Court. Any...

Hunter Biden is battling federal prosecutors in trying to have his initial court appearance on federal firearm charges held via video conference, according to an order filed by a federal judge on Monday. U.S. Magistrate Judge Christopher J. Burke issued the order asking Hunter’s lawyers to explain no later than Tuesday why they want his arraignment held via video conference — a request prosecutors have opposed, Burke wrote. The judge gave prosecutors until Wednesday to provide a reason why the arraignment should happen in person.

San Francisco Mayor London Breed on Wednesday accused the homeless coalition of holding the city "hostage for decades."London made those comments while joining a crowd of more than 200 people who had gathered outside the federal courthouse to urge the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to cancel a federal judge’s order banning the city from clearing tent encampments until there are more shelter beds than homeless individuals."The homeless coalition has held San Francisco hostage for decades. It is time for their reign to end," Breed said, noting that the city has spent billions of dollars to help homeless people.

The judge in the Pensacola Naval Air Station terrorist shooting case has asked the Biden administration to declare whether victims of the 2019 attack should be barred from suing Saudi Arabia because of “serious and sensitive matters of foreign policy and military affairs.”@media(min-width:0px){#div-gpt-ad-floridabulldog_org-box-3-0-asloaded{max-width:728px!important;max-height:90px!important;}}U.S. District Judge M. Casey Rodgers directed the court clerk to serve her order on U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland and others, and asked for a response within 30 days of her July 27 order.@media(min-width:0px){#div-gpt-ad-floridabulldog_org-medrectangle-3-0-asloaded{max-width:580px!important;max-height:400px!important;}}“Given the sensitive nature of the United States foreign relations that could be impacted by this case, the Court finds it necessary…to raise the...

ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) — A federal judge has blocked a new Illinois law that allows the state to penalize anti-abortion pregnancy centers if they use deception to interfere with patients seeking the procedure. U.S. District Judge Iain Johnston said Thursday the new law “is painfully and blatantly a violation of the First Amendment.” The law signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker last week bans anti-abortion pregnancy centers, often referred to as “crisis pregnancy centers,” from using “misinformation, deceptive practices, or misrepresentation” to interfere with access to abortion services or emergency contraception. Violators faced fines of up to $50,000. The bill was...

"Discovery materials, along with any information derived therefrom, shall not be disclosed to the public or the news media, or disseminated on any news or social media platform, without prior notice to and consent of the United States or approval of the Court," the order filed on Monday said....It also specified that Trump "shall not retain copies" and that he may only review case materials "under the direct supervision of defense counsel or a member of defense counsel's staff."

RICHMOND, Va. – A federal judge in Maryland has ruled that a former Canadian Armed Forces reservist who’s linked to a violent white supremacist group will remain in custody. U.S. Magistrate Judge Timothy Sullivan said Wednesday that Patrik Mathews is a “very dangerous person” who “espouses very dangerous beliefs.” Sullivan ordered Mathews detained pending a Jan. 30 preliminary hearing. Mathews and two other men were arrested last Thursday on federal felony charges in Maryland and Delaware. Authorities said they were believed to be headed to a pro-gun rally in Virginia’s capital. Monday’s event in Richmond had ended peacefully.