Federal court rules Ohio school must allow transgender student to use girls’ restroom

A federal appellate court has denied a request by an Ohio school district to stop a transgender child from using the restroom of her choice while school officials appeal an earlier ruling in the student's favor. The U.S. 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Thursday in a 2-1 decision that an 11-year-old biological male who identifies as female may continue using a girls' restroom in the Highland Local School District north of Columbus.

Michigan judge revokes order requiring recount of presidential ballots

A federal judge in Michigan on Wednesday revoked his order requiring a recount of the state's presidential vote sought by Jill Stein, siding with a state appeals court that found the Green Party candidate had no grounds to mount the challenge. U.S. District Judge Mark Goldsmith's ruling has the effect of halting the recount in Michigan, at least for now, following conflicting rulings a day earlier by federal and state appeals courts.

Dems seek halt to Ohio voting restrictions

Halfway between the start of early voting and Election Day in Ohio, an emergency motion was filed Tuesday with the U.S. Supreme Court to change some of the state's election laws back to the way they were. The Ohio Democratic Party and a pair of groups representing the homeless asked Justice Elena Kagan to stop Secretary of State Jon Husted from carrying out a pair of 2014 statutes requiring Ohioans to accurately complete five fields of information - name, address, date of birth, signature and partial Social Security number - on requests for absentee or provisional ballots.

Ohio Voter Purge Is Unconstitutional, Federal Appeals Court Rules

An Ohio voter purge was ruled unconstitutional by a federal appeals court Friday just weeks before the presidential election, kicking the decision back to the lower court. U.S. District Judge George C. Smith ruled this summer that Ohio Secretary of State Jon Husted could purge the voting rolls of voters if they had not participated in six years, ABC News reported .

Federal court rules against Ohio’s purges of voter rolls – Fri, 23 Sep 2016 PST

A federal appeals court ruled Friday against Ohio's procedure for removing voters from state rolls, dealing a blow to Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted and handing a victory to voting rights advocates in a key presidential swing state. A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit overruled a U.S. district court judge's decision that Husted was not violating any laws with the process he was using to take inactive voters off the rolls if they did not confirm their status.

The Latest: Elections chief questions ruling on voter purge

COLUMBUS, Ohio - The Latest on a federal appeals court ruling on Ohio's process for removing voters from its registration rolls : Ohio's elections chief says a federal appeals court ruling effectively forces the swing state to place voters who have died or moved on its registration lists. Republican Secretary of State Jon Husted defended the state's process for maintaining its voter rolls on Friday after the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Cincinnati found the procedure violates federal law.

Court rules man treated for mental illness can have a gun

A Michigan man who can't buy a gun because he was briefly treated for mental health problems in the 1980s has won a key decision from a federal appeals court, which says the burden is on the government to justify a lifetime ban against him. The Second Amendment case was significant enough for 16 judges on the 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals to participate.

Appeals Court Upholds Elimination Of Ohio Early Voting Provision Commonly Used By Black Voters

As the 2016 presidential election season enters its crucial final months, a federal appeals court in Ohio has ruled in favor of removing a voting provision that is expected to have a disproportionately negative effect on Black voters in the state. The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday to uphold Republican-backed legislation that has successfully eliminated early voting days in Ohio over the last few years.

The Latest: Ohio Democrats disappointed with voting ruling

The Latest on a federal appeals court's decision that upholds a cut to early voting in Ohio : The Ohio Democratic Party is among the plaintiffs who challenged a series of Republican-backed voting changes, alleging they disproportionately burdened black voters and those who lean Democratic. Such policies include the elimination of early voting days in which Ohioans could also register to vote.

Finding No Racial Discrimination, Appeals Court OKs Ohioa s Shortened Early Voting Window

A federal appeals court reinstated a law that shortens Ohio's early voting period, finding the measure fell short of legal discrimination by placing a "minimal burden" on the battleground state's African-American voters. At issue was a 2014 Republican-backed law that reduced the period of early voting days from 35 to 29. By doing so, it eliminated the so-called "Golden Week," six overlapping days of voter registration and early voting when black voters have been more likely than whites to cast same-day ballots.