Court Watch: Judge Denies Motion to Reduce Felony Drug Charge in Sacramento Case
A Sacramento County Superior Court judge denied a motion to reduce a felony possession charge, citing the accused’s criminal history and obligations to the community.
New Tani G. Cantil-Sakauye Courthouse Set to Open in Sacramento
Sacramento County is opening a new $514 million superior courthouse facility to replace the aging Gordon D. Schaber Courthouse, providing 53 courtrooms, improved safety and efficiency, and a range of public amenities.
Court Watch: Sacramento Judge Unmoved by Financial Hardship in Domestic Violence Ruling
A Sacramento County Superior Court judge declined to modify bail for a woman accused of domestic violence, despite her financial hardship and loss of housing, and set a formal bail hearing for March 2026.
Berkeley Orders Closure of Homeless Encampment Amid Leptospirosis Concerns
The City of Berkeley has ordered the closure of an encampment in West Berkeley due to public health concerns related to leptospirosis, prompting criticism from advocates and residents who argue that the city should provide sanitation support and relocation options instead of displacement.
Court Watch: Sacramento Judge Denies Release for Accused Petty Thief with Autistic Son
A Sacramento County Superior Court judge denied an accused man’s request for release on his own recognizance pending trial on a petty theft charge, citing his prior felony history and failures to appear as indicators that he would not comply with court orders.
Opinion | Scarcity as a Systemic Feature
The United States is facing an existential crisis due to a lack of political imagination and a scarcity mindset, which has led to the criminalization of poverty, homelessness, and immigration, and a reliance on punishment rather than investment in social programs.
Court Watch: Judge Denies Disability Claim, Sentences Woman to 67 Days for Missed Service
A Sacramento County Superior Court judge sentenced an accused woman to 67 days in county jail for failing to complete court-ordered community service, despite her claims that she was turned away from service sites due to a documented disability.
Sunday Commentary: Demographics Are Not Destiny—Why Housing Policy Based on Demographic Decline Is a Dangerous Bet
The argument that declining birth rates will eventually relieve housing pressure is flawed, as it ignores the economic, migratory, and climate forces that will shape demand far more powerfully than fertility trends in the decades ahead, and the housing crisis is a present shortfall that needs to be addressed now.
Jail, Jail, Jail, Jail, Jail
The County is sponsoring “listening” sessions about the County Jail, but no alternatives to jailing are offered, which validates Boss Tweed’s political wisdom and perpetuates the cycle of expensive and ineffective incarceration rates.
Supreme Court Poised to Challenge Trump’s Authority in Upcoming Cases
The Trump administration had a successful year at the Supreme Court in 2025 due to strategic legal decisions, but legal scholars expect a different outcome in 2026 as the court will be taking up cases with institutional responsibility.
Trump Escalates Crackdown on Newsgathering with Arrest of Don Lemon
Don Lemon, a former CNN anchor, was arrested by federal agents in Los Angeles for allegedly violating the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act while covering a protest, in what press freedom advocates and courts have called an unprecedented effort to criminalize routine newsgathering.
NFHA Backs Fed Governor Lisa Cook as Supreme Court Weighs Trump Removal Bid
The National Fair Housing Alliance has expressed its support for Federal Reserve Governor Lisa Cook, urging the Trump administration to partner with her on affordability and other “kitchen table issues” facing Americans, rather than attempting to remove her from office.
Legal Experts Review Campus Speech Cases, Examining Limits of Free Speech at Public Universities
Public universities may lawfully regulate certain forms of speech when a reasonable member of the campus community could construe that expression as a disruptive threat, but this standard has been inconsistently applied and widely misunderstood.
Free Speech Precedents Haunt Trump’s Campus Crackdown
The Trump administration is demanding that universities take greater action to protect Jewish community members, placing federal funding at risk while reviving unresolved constitutional disputes over campus speech, and critics argue that these demands are extortionate and may be unconstitutional under rulings issued by conservative federal appellate courts.
HUD Funding Changes Leave Homeless Services in Limbo
The Trump administration and HUD’s policy moves have created confusion and instability for local agencies relying on federal housing grants, leaving administrators uncertain about how to comply with shifting federal directives while maintaining services in their communities.
California Civil Rights Department Reaches Settlements in Discrimination Cases in Yuba Schools
The California Civil Rights Department reached settlements with the Yuba City Unified School District and Folsom Lake Hyundai to address allegations of discrimination, requiring the district and dealership to implement corrective actions and pay compensation to the complainants.
ACLU Backs New York Times Lawsuit, Warns Pentagon Press Policy Threatens First Amendment
The ACLU has filed a brief in support of The New York Times’ lawsuit against the Department of Defense, arguing that the new press policy is an unconstitutional attack on free expression and democratic accountability.
Sacramento’s Cornerstone Development Earns Bronze World Habitat Award
Cornerstone, a mixed-income affordable housing development in South Sacramento, has been awarded a Bronze World Habitat Award for its role in affordable housing, homelessness prevention and community development, providing housing for over 400 people and offering financial coaching, support services and opportunities for residents to participate in community decision-making.
Judge Blocks Ohio State from Punishing Student for Political Speech
A federal judge has temporarily blocked Ohio State University from disenrolling a student over political speech, ruling that the school likely violated the student’s First Amendment and due process rights.
MLK Day Commentary: MLK and the Moral Failure of Silence
Martin Luther King Jr. and Ibram X. Kendi both argue that racism is not just a matter of individual prejudice, but a systemic issue that requires active anti-racism and structural change, rather than passive neutrality.