Albany Herald

Photo by Michael Buckelew

WASHINGTON — UPDATE:

The U.S. Supreme Court will not intervene in a tri-state water dispute between Alabama, Georgia and Florida that has threatened the metro Atlanta area’s water supply.

The decision Monday by the top court means that a ruling by the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Atlanta still stands. That appeals court ruling was a significant victory for Atlanta and area communities since a lower judge had earlier threatened to severely restrict the region’s access to its main water source.

The appeals court overturned those looming restrictions and ruled that Atlanta has a legal claim to water from a disputed reservoir.

Alabama, Florida and communities in southern Georgia have argued that Atlanta uses too much water, harming wildlife, people and industries downstream.

Earlier

The Supreme Court has issued 5-3 decision in favor of U.S. government, with Justice Kennedy saying that the government has significant power to regulate immigration and while Arizona may have signifacnt frustrations they may not have policies that undermine federal law.

This is a win for the federal government and a loss for Arizona.

The Court did uphold one the most notorious provisions: A requirement that local police officers check a person's immigration status while enforcing other laws if "reasonable suspicion" exists that the person is in the United States illegally.

Earlier this morning, the Court ruled that juveniles under the age of 18 sentenced to life should have the right to try for parole at some point. Life without the chance for parole was deemed cruel and unusual punishment

Check back as additional opinions are rendered.