Justiceline: August 16, 2012

Welcome to Justiceline, ThinkProgress Justice?s morning round-up of the latest legal news and developments. Remember to follow us on Twitter at @TPJustice

• Retiring Canadian Supreme Court Justice Marie Deschamps calls for officials appointing judges to “aim for half and half” balance of men and women. The court that she departs had five men and four women during her most recent year on the bench, including a female chief justice.
• The Utah Senate confirmed Judge Su J. Chon, who was the first judicial nominee of color in that state in five years. Chon’s nomination was originally rejected by a senate panel, but the panel’s judgment was bypassed by the full senate.
• Acting D.C. City Council Chair Phil Mendelson (D) suggested the city should settle a lawsuit brought by two lesbian police officers who claim they faced widespread sexual harassment and discrimination from supervisors and fellow officers.
• Australia’s High Court rejected a challenge by multiple tobacco companies seeking to invalidate a recently enacted law requiring cigarettes to be sold in plain packaging.
• And, finally, the award for the best headline this week goes to “GoTopless petitions Obama administration to uphold women’s topless rights under the Constitution.”

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