Sam Hananel

Associated Press

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'Seismic Decision' in Patent Case

Justices make it easier for companies to defend patent cases.

In this June 11, 2015, file photo, a hexacopter drone is flown during a drone demonstration in Cordova, Md. An appeals court has struck down a Federal Aviation Administration rule that required owners to register drones used for recreation.

Rule on Drone Registration Struck Down

The ruling was a victory for hobbyists and a setback for the FAA, which cited safety concerns as it tried to tighten regulation of the fast-growing army of drone operators.

In this Jan. 19, 2012 file photo, smoke rises in this time exposure image from the stacks of the La Cygne Generating Station coal-fired power plant in La Cygne, Kan. The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday, April 18, 2017, asked a federal appeals court in Washington to postpone consideration of 2012 rules requiring energy companies to cut emissions of toxic chemicals.

EPA Seeks to Scuttle Cleanup of Coal Power Plant Pollution

The latest in a string of moves by President Trump's appointees to help companies that profit from burning of fossil fuels.

Cheyenne River Sioux Chairman Harold Frazier, center, talks with Madonna Thunder Hawk, left, of the Oohenumpa band of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, before speaking to reporters outside federal court in Washington, Monday, Feb. 13, 2017. A judge has rejected a request by two American Indian tribes to halt construction of the remaining section of the Dakota Access oil pipeline until their lawsuit over the project is resolved.

Judge Denies Request to Halt Pipeline

The last stretch of the Dakota Access pipeline is continuing to move forward, and could be operational in as little as 30 days.

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Unions Win in Post-Scalia Supreme Court

It's a major blow to conservative groups that have spent years pushing the court to overrule a 1977 precedent that allows unions to collect "fair share" fees from members and non-members alike that cover the costs of collective bargaining.