Landmark ruling blocks mining in Ecuadorian forest, citing rights of nature
Ecuador’s constitutional court has blocked plans to mine copper and gold in Los Cedros, a protected cloud forest, ruling that the plans violate the rights of nature.
Courts
This archive collects milestones involving courts — judicial bodies at local, national, and international levels — as actors in meaningful change. Stories here cover rulings, legal precedents, and decisions that advanced rights, accountability, or justice around the world.
Private prison operator must pay inmates minimum wage for work, U.S. federal jury rules
The court found that GEO Group, a private prison operator that runs the Northwest ICE Processing Center in Tacoma, WA, is violating the state’s minimum wage laws by paying its workers $1 per day.
Brazil court upholds ban on missionaries trying to contact isolated Indigenous
Although the country’s official policy since 1987 has been to not engage in any contact, a federal law passed in July 2020 allows religious missionaries to remain inside reserves with isolated #Indigenous groups.
U.S. federal judge overturns oil and gas lease sales on 58,000 acres of public lands in Colorado
A federal judge agreed with conservation groups that fracking and drilling will worsen air quality in a region where smog levels have exceeded federal pollution standards and threaten public health.
Mexico’s top court decriminalizes abortion in ‘watershed moment’
The decision in the world’s second-biggest Roman Catholic country means that courts can no longer prosecute abortion cases, and follows the historic legalization of the right in Argentina earlier this year.
Court rules North Carolina must allow former felons to vote
North Carolina judges ordered the restoration of voting rights for over 55,000 people with a felony conviction in what advocates call the largest expansion of voting rights in decades in the state.
Ayesha A. Malik to become Pakistan’s first woman Supreme Court justice
In a first in the country’s judicial history, the Judicial Commission of Pakistan (JCP) is going to elevate a woman judge to the Supreme Court when it meets on Sept 9.
Mexico’s supreme court decriminalizes recreational use of cannabis
The decisive 8-3 ruling comes after advocates pushed for decriminalization as a means to reduce drug-fueled cartel violence in the country.
Belgium court deems inadequate climate policy a human rights violation
Climate campaigners claimed a “historic victory” after a Brussels court on Thursday condemned Belgium for its climate policy that breaches the country’s duty of care and human rights obligations.
India High Court bans medical attempts to ‘cure’ sexual orientation
In a groundbreaking judgment on the rights of the LGBTQIA+ community, the Madras High Court on Monday, June 7, issued guidelines for creating a safe environment for LGBTQIA+ persons and to ensure that they are not harassed by the police.