Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Sydney Haulenbeek

@shaulenbeek.bsky.social

770 followers 93 following 230 posts

Reporting on everything North Carolina for Courthouse News; #ncpol and #nccourts focus ✍️🏻 | ✉️ [email protected]

Posts Media Videos Starter Packs

Pinned

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · Nov 14

Most employees are protected under civil rights statutes and can sue if their employer doesn't properly handle discrimination or harassment.

What about the 30,000 judicial branch employees who don't have that safety net?

www.courthousenews.com/without-civi...

Without civil rights protections, judicial employees are left in limbo

If the judiciary can't remove judges for bad behavior, and its employees aren't covered by the Civil Rights Act, what recourse is left for 30,000 federal employees?

www.courthousenews.com

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 1d

They say restarting settlement discussions 8 weeks before trial is less likely to lead to resolution, and that they are willing to "engage in meaningful settlement discussions anytime, anywhere, and with anyone."

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 1d

23XI and Front Row Motorsports don't seem in support of this plan, calling the filing "another effort to play to the court of public opinion and attempt to color the perception of plaintiffs, rather than to progress this case earnestly toward a negotiated resolution."

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 1d

If approved, this would mean that a judge would sit down with the parties and try to work out a settlement, instead of a appointed mediator (last time was Jeffrey Mishkin, former vice president and chief legal officer of the National Basketball Association).

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 1d

Counsel for NASCAR is asking that the court order a judicial settlement conference. Conversations with the teams in mediation and settlement conferences have failed to yield a joint agreement, but it continues to be on the table as trial rapidly approches. #NASCAR #nccourts

1 1 1

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 2d

A Wake Forest athletic trainer has sued NC Rep. Pat Harrigan after he made posts that she was fired over her comments on Charlie Kirk. She was not terminated, and claims that he exposed her to "ridicule, hatred, contempt, and safety threats."

11 10

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 6d

The teams had previously asked for summary judgment over NASCAR's counterclaims, which is going to be discussed during a hearing on Oct. 21.

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 6d

23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports are asking the court to rule on market definition and monopoly power in their case against NASCAR. They claim there is no dispute that NASCAR is the only purchaser of stock car racing services and that the market has high barriers to entry. #NASCAR #nccourts

1 2 1

Reposted by Sydney Haulenbeek

Courthouse News @courthousenews.bsky.social · 6d

The new districts violate the Equal Protection Clause of the 14th Amendment and amount to unconstitutional retaliation, the plaintiffs said in their complaint. @shaulenbeek.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/north-caroli...

North Carolina voters say lawmakers retaliated over redistricting reform

The plaintiffs claim the state’s General Assembly interfered in local elections by preventing voters from adopting alternative election districts.

www.courthousenews.com

1 10 18

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 6d

Common Cause sued a North Carolina county board of elections in federal court Wednesday, claiming the state’s legislature passed discriminatory measures to impose new electoral districts. #nccourts #ncpol

@courthousenews.bsky.social

www.courthousenews.com/north-caroli...

North Carolina voters say lawmakers retaliated over redistricting reform

The plaintiffs claim the state’s General Assembly interfered in local elections by preventing voters from adopting alternative election districts.

www.courthousenews.com

18 27

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 6d

Roush Fenway Keselowski Racing (dba RFK Racing) has been sued in a class action that claims it failed to secure employees' data.

The plaintiff, an employee, said that his personal information was published on the dark web and that Social Security numbers were included in the hack. #nccourts #NASCAR

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 7d

The plaintiff voters have now appealed this ruling to the Fourth Circuit. #nccourts #ncpol

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 8d

A federal judge dealt a massive blow Tuesday to North Carolina voters challenging a 2023 Senate election map, concluding that party preference, rather than race, drives voting in the state. #nccourts #ncpol

@courthousenews.bsky.social

www.courthousenews.com/judge-finds-...

Judge finds North Carolina Senate map free of bias against Black voters

The map, which was used in the November 2024 election, will stand.

www.courthousenews.com

2 2

Reposted by Sydney Haulenbeek

Courthouse News @courthousenews.bsky.social · 8d

Judge finds North Carolina Senate map free of bias against Black voters @shaulenbeek.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/judge-finds-...

Judge finds North Carolina Senate map free of bias against Black voters

Societal progress has given Black voters in the state the power to elect the candidates they choose without majority-minority districts, the federal judge ruled.

www.courthousenews.com

4 3

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 8d

Judge finds North Carolina Senate map free of bias against Black voters

The map, which was used in the November 2024 election, will stand.

www.courthousenews.com

3 2

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 12d

Rick Ware Racing and Legacy aren't asking for their legal cases to be dismissed yet; instead they're waiting for the completion of "certain terms and conditions of the settlement agreement." They've asked the court to temporarily halt further proceedings. #NASCAR #nccourts

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 13d

Duke Energy argued in North Carolina Thursday that claims it worsened the climate crisis should be dismissed. #nccourts

@courthousenews.bsky.social

www.courthousenews.com/duke-energy-...

Duke Energy contests climate change case

Attorneys argued over whether property damage from global climate change could be linked to Duke Energy’s emissions, statements and publications.

www.courthousenews.com

2 4

Reposted by Sydney Haulenbeek

Courthouse News @courthousenews.bsky.social · 15d

The bill, which will now go to Democratic Governor Josh Stein’s desk, passed the House on Tuesday, a day after Senate Democrats walked out on the one-month anniversary of the death of 23-year-old Ukrainian refugee Iryna Zarutska. @shaulenbeek.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/north-caroli...

North Carolina tightens pretrial release rules after light rail killing

The legislature also wants the state to resume executions in death penalty cases.

www.courthousenews.com

1 2

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 15d

The North Carolina General Assembly has passed Iryna’s Law, a response to the light rail killing of a Ukrainian refugee, a month after her death. #ncpol

@courthousenews.bsky.social

www.courthousenews.com/north-caroli...

North Carolina tightens pretrial release rules after light rail killing

The legislature also wants the state to resume executions in death penalty cases.

www.courthousenews.com

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 22d

The North Carolina Alliance for Retired Americans has asked the court to withdraw the consent judgment and schedule an adversarial briefing for it. #nccourts

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · Sep 8

A federal judge approved a proposed agreement between the federal government and North Carolina Monday, ending a legal case over the state’s use of unclear voter registration forms. #nccourts

@courthousenews.bsky.social

www.courthousenews.com/north-caroli...

North Carolina agrees to turn over voter records in settlement

The Democratic National Committee considers the settlement a win. Local voting rights organizations disagree.

www.courthousenews.com

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 26d

A Fourth Circuit panel has affirmed that a felon voter law in North Carolina was discriminatory against Black voters despite an amendment by the Republican-controlled General Assembly to salvage it. #nccourts #ncpol

By Steve Garrison:

www.courthousenews.com/fourth-circu...

Fourth Circuit finds North Carolina's felon voter law unconstitutional

Republicans had attempted to salvage an 1877 law that made it a crime for convicted felons to vote, even if they mistakenly believed they were eligible.

www.courthousenews.com

6 6

Reposted by Sydney Haulenbeek

Courthouse News @courthousenews.bsky.social · 26d

Fourth Circuit finds North Carolina's felon voter law unconstitutional www.courthousenews.com/fourth-circu...

Fourth Circuit finds North Carolina’s felon voter law unconstitutional

Republicans had attempted to salvage an 1877 law that made it a crime for convicted felons to vote, even if they mistakenly believed they were eligible.

www.courthousenews.com

5 3

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 26d

A former employee of the Mecklenburg County Sheriff's Office has sued Charlotte Sheriff Garry McFadden for wrongful termination. He fired her for reporting racial pay disparities, she said, and for refusing to alter his travel expenses that the Charlotte Observer requested. #nccourts

1 2

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 27d

Per NASCAR's filing today, this motion is expected tomorrow.

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 27d

Legacy secured an injunction against Rick Ware Racing in August, preventing it from finalizing the sale of the company (and its charters) until trial is over.

Sydney Haulenbeek @shaulenbeek.bsky.social · 27d

Rick Ware Racing has asked a Charlotte court to dismiss several counts raised against it by Legacy Motor Club in their ongoing charter dispute. #nccourts #NASCAR

1 1 1

Reposted by Sydney Haulenbeek

Courthouse News @courthousenews.bsky.social · 28d

A North Carolina man who taught explosives training argued before the Fourth Circuit Wednesday that a federal statute he was prosecuted under — a terrorism charge — is unconstitutional under the First Amendment. @shaulenbeek.bsky.social www.courthousenews.com/north-caroli...

North Carolina man challenges terrorism charge at Fourth Circuit

Christopher Arthur argued that an obscure statute making it a criminal offense to teach someone about explosives while knowing they plan to use the information to do harm violates the First Amendment.

www.courthousenews.com

1 2