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At the Supreme Court on Monday, it was a rough day for working people. In two cases, the justices split 5-4 along ideological lines to make it harder for employees to win discrimination lawsuits. The court raised new hurdles for plaintiffs who claim they're victims of bias and that companies retaliated against them.

In 2009, Congress passed a federal hate crimes law to make it easier for the Justice Department to prosecute people who target victims because of race, religion and sexual orientation. Federal prosecutors have used the new hate crimes law just nine times so far.

The Justice Department has few options in the investigation of the death of Florida teen Trayvon Martin. But former prosecutors say one law passed early in the Obama administration might apply: the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

For the first time, researchers have surveyed more than 1,600 young people serving life without the possibility of parole. The study found that many came from homes of violence and abuse. And for many young offenders, educational programs in jail are out of reach.

As the Supreme Court takes up fundamental challenges to voting rights laws and affirmative action, the storied NAACP Legal Defense Fund prepares to take on a new leader, Sherrilyn Ifill.

The Senate Judiciary Committee is taking a new look at the effectiveness of mandatory minimum sentences, and the movement to change the system has got some surprising allies, including some federal judges and many Republicans.

The Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday approved a bill that would lower mandatory minimum sentences for certain drug offenses and allow judges to use more discretion when determining sentences for nonviolent drug offenses.

In a speech Tuesday, the attorney general said laws barring convicted felons from voting are counterproductive and perpetuate "the stigma and isolation imposed on formerly incarcerated individuals."

A Justice Department investigation finds police and local courts in Ferguson, Mo., routinely violate the constitution and federal laws. Civil rights investigators cite a pattern of racial bias.

For the first time, the federal government is asserting juveniles' right to counsel by wading into a Georgia case alleging inadequate representation. Authorities say the problems occur nationwide.