Regiional Recalls Upheld

Consumer Affairs reports:

A federal appeals court has upheld the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration policy that allows automakers to limit some vehicle recalls by region.

Public Citizen and the Center for Auto Safety had challenged the NHTSA policy as an attempt to change federal law without public comment.

Appeals court Judge Harry Edwards of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit wrote the "guidelines are nothing more than general policy statements with no legal force."

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CA court expands police authority

Here's another reason not to drink and drive in California, especially if you have made someone angry with you:

SAN FRANCISCO - Law enforcement may stop and detain drivers based
on anonymous and uncorroborated tips that they were driving while
intoxicated, the California Supreme Court decided.

Court to rule on climate

From the Los Angeles Times:

WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court entered the debate over global warming Monday, agreeing at the urging of environmentalists to rule on whether emissions from new cars, trucks and power plants must be further regulated to slow climate change.

The court's action gave a surprising, if tentative, boost to 12 states, including California, and a coalition of environmentalists who say the federal government must restrict the exhaust fumes that contribute to global warming. Their appeal accused the Environmental Protection Agency of having "squandered nearly a decade" by failing to act.