U.S. justices hear arguments in Argentina bond debt case
WASHINGTON (AP) — The U.S. Supreme Court is hearing arguments Monday in Argentina’s decade-long battle with holders of its defaulted bonds.
The question now before the court is relatively narrow, focusing on whether a sovereign nation can be forced to reveal its assets around the world so plaintiffs can collect on U.S. court judgments.
But the justices will be watched closely for clues to how they might rule on a more critical case involving the same players: the Argentine government’s appeal of a $1.4 billion judgment that it says could destroy the country’s economy and also damage the U.S. financial system.
So far, the courts have backed NML Capital Ltd., which won an unprecedented judgment that would block Argentina’s payments to all other bondholders unless it pays cash first to the plaintiffs.
Court won’t hear Florida employee drug testing rule
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court has turned away an appeal by Florida Gov. Rick Scott over his plan to require random drug tests for thousands of state workers.
The justices on Monday did not comment in rejecting an appeal that sought to allow testing on up to 85,000 employees. A lower court is evaluating categories of workers that can be tested including those in law enforcement and sensitive safety jobs.
Court to look at ‘born in Jerusalem’ passport case
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Supreme Court says it will hear for the second time a passport dispute fraught with Middle Eastern politics. The question is whether Americans born in Jerusalem may list their place of birth as Israel.
The court said Monday it will review a lower court ruling that struck down a 2002 law that authorized identifying Jerusalem as part of Israel on U.S. passports. The law was passed over the objection of President George W. Bush and the lower court said the law impermissibly infringed on the president’s power to recognize foreign governments. The Obama administration has taken the same position as its predecessor.
The U.S. has refused to recognize any nation’s sovereignty over Jerusalem since Israel’s creation in 1948.
The justices previously ruled on a different aspect of the case.
