clipped from: www.newsvine.com On Thursday, the Supreme Court:
_Declared that criminal defendants with a history of mental illness do not always have the right to represent themselves, even if they have been judged competent to stand trial.
_Struck down a California law that blocked use of state money for anti-union activities.
_Said courts should consider an insurance company's potential conflict of interest when reviewing the denial of an employee's health or disability benefits claim.
_Made it easier for employees to prove they have suffered discrimination because of their age.
_Ruled that Kentucky's retirement system does not discriminate against older workers.
Among the 10 cases left to be decided by the end of the month:
_Punitive damages in the Exxon Valdez oil spill. Exxon Mobil Corp. is fighting a $2.5 billion judgment for the environmental disaster in Alaska 19 years ago that ensued after the supertanker ran aground on a reef.