Legal briefs

The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 6th Circuit upheld a Kentucky law designed to prevent ambulance-chasing. The law restricts access to police accident reports to news organizations and those with a personal interest in the incident. Lawyers and chiropractors wanting to generate business from the reports challenged the statute. The court said the statute does not violate the Constitution and is rationally related to its asserted purpose of protecting accident victims' privacy. Judge Ronald Gilman (a Clinton appointee) wrote the unanimous decision in Amelkin vs. McClure.... The U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit struck down a Connecticut town's juvenile curfew ordinance. The court said that the ordinance, which had exceptions for employment and activities permitted by a parent or guardian, was not "substantially related" to protecting minors and preventing nighttime juvenile crime because the evidence did not establish an actual crime problem. Senior Judge Richard Cardamone (a Reagan appointee) wrote the 2-1 decision in Ramos vs. Vernon, Connecticut.... The same judge wrote the 2-1 decision in Bronx Household of Faith vs. Board of Education striking down a ban on churches using public-school buildings for worship. A New York City school board policy allowed rental of public-school buildings for discussing religious material but not for "religious services or religious instruction." An evangelical church sued to rent space for its Sunday service.