Login | January 02, 2026
Akron Legal News
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California diversion program allows some to keep vehicular manslaughter charge off driving record
In California, you can kill someone with your car and not even have a point on your license.
That's because of a criminal justice reform law passed in 2020, allowing judges to effectively erase a misdemeanor case from existence. It shields people accused of "low-level" crimes from the stigma of having a conviction on t ... (full story)
Court finds judge’s misstatements did not invalidate guilty plea
A trial judge’s misstatement about Ohio’s self-defense law and pretrial ruling to not give a self-defense jury instruction did not invalidate a Hamilton County man's guilty plea, the Supreme Court of Ohio ruled.
In a unanimous decision, the Supreme Court affirmed Demarco Gowdy’s conviction for aggravated assaul ... (full story)
immigration policy could make the US health care workforce shortage worse
(THE CONVERSATION) As Americans gather for holiday celebrations, many will quietly thank the health care workers who keep their families and friends well: the ICU nurse who stabilized a grandparent, the doctor who adjusted a tricky prescription, the home health aide who ensures an aging relative can bathe and eat safely.
Far few ... (full story)
Trump's second term is reshaping US science with unprecedented cuts and destabilizing policy changes
(THE CONVERSATION) Before 2025, science policy rarely made headline news. Through decades of changing political winds, financial crises and global conflicts, funding for U.S. research and innovation has remained remarkably stable, reflecting the American public's strong support for investing in basic science.
In his first year b ... (full story)
Supreme Court case about 'crisis pregnancy centers' highlights debate over truthful advertising standards
(THE CONVERSATION) The latest Supreme Court case related to abortion is not technically about the legal right to have one. When the court heard oral arguments on Dec. 2, 2025, the word "abortion" came up only three times. The first instance was more than an hour into the 82-minute hearing.
Instead, First Choice Women's ... (full story)