Court dismisses 3rd lawsuit against hen cage law

A federal appeals court on Wednesday upheld a decision to dismiss a lawsuit by a farmer that challenged a law banning the inhumane confinement of egg-laying hens.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals affirmed the 2012 decision by a lower court to throw out the lawsuit by egg farmer William Cramer. Cramer's lawsuit said the law is unconstitutionally vague.

It's the third time courts have rejected lawsuits by egg farmers against California's landmark Proposition 2.

"We are thrilled that the court sided with the millions of California voters who supported this measure and chose to end extreme and reckless factory farming practices," said Jonathan Lovvorn, senior vice president and chief counsel for animal protection litigation for the Humane Society of the United States.

The initiative approved in 2008 bans the inhumane confinement of egg-laying hens, breeding pigs and veal calves in cages so small the animals cannot stretch their limbs, lie down or turn around.Since its passage, farmers have complained that the measure lacks specific language designating appropriate cage size and as a result puts them at risk of misdemeanor charges and fines up to $1,000.

In addition, they say they are on the hook for millions of dollars in upgrades but can't get bank loans without knowing whether new cages will be in compliance.

Egypt court bans festival honoring Moroccan rabbi

An Egyptian court has banned an annual festival in honor of Moroccan rabbi that was regularly attended by hundreds of Jewish pilgrims, mainly from Israel and Morocco.

After the 1979 peace treaty with Israel, Egypt began allowing organized trips to the tomb of Yaakov Abu Hatzira in the Nile Delta north of Cairo. The Culture Ministry declared the site an Egyptian monument.

The Administrative Court of Alexandria on Monday banned the visits and stripped the ministry's designation. It acted on a complaint filed by local residents who objected to the mingling of men and women and the consumption of alcohol at the festival.

Court revives Coast Guard suit against Bollinger Shipyards

A federal appeals court has revived a federal lawsuit accusing Bollinger Shipyards of lying about the strength of eight patrol boats it lengthened for the Coast Guard.

The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled Tuesday that a district judge was wrong to dismiss the suit against the Lockport shipyard, a subcontractor on a project to lengthen eight patrol boats from 110 to 123 feet.

Lawyers for Bollinger did not immediately respond to a request for comment Wednesday from The Associated Press.The government wants Bollinger to repay $78 million, NOLA.com 'The Times-Picayune reports.

Four of the boats were delivered in 2004. The hull of the first, the Matagorda, began to buckle at sea in September 2004. The Coast Guard accepted the other four after modifications to boost their hull strength, but it wasn't enough, according to the ruling.

The Coast Guard revoked its acceptance of all eight in 2007; the Justice Department sued in 2011.

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Court halts ridesharing service Uber in Germany

A court has barred ridesharing service Uber from operating in Germany, the latest shot in the popular app's fight with taxi drivers worldwide. Frankfurt state court spokesman Arne Hasse said Tuesday the decision that Uber can't offer its services without a specific permit under German transport laws applies nationwide. The injunction applies pending a full hearing of a suit brought against Uber by Taxi Deutschland, a German cab association that also offers its own taxi-ordering app. The suit is being heard in Frankfurt because it is one of the several German cities in which Uber operates. San Francisco-based Uber said in a statement it would use "all legal means" to fight the case. "It's never a good idea to limit people's choices," Uber said. "We believe that innovation and competition is good for everyone — it profits both drivers and passengers." The ruling comes after Berlin authorities last month barred Uber from operating in the capital because of safety concerns.

Court: Silence can be used against suspects

The California Supreme Court has ruled that the silence of suspects can be used against them. Wading into a legally tangled vehicular manslaughter case, a sharply divided high court on Thursday effectively reinstated the felony conviction of a man accused in a 2007 San Francisco Bay Area crash that left an 8-year-old girl dead and her sister and mother injured. Richard Tom was sentenced to seven years in prison for manslaughter after authorities said he was speeding and slammed into another vehicle at a Redwood City intersection. Prosecutors repeatedly told jurors during the trial that Tom's failure to ask about the victims immediately after the crash but before police read him his so-called Miranda rights showed his guilt. Legal analysts said the ruling could affect future cases, allowing prosecutors to exploit a suspect's refusal to talk before invoking 5th Amendment rights against self-incrimination.