Judge Shelves Guantanamo Cases

Yet another example of the damage the Military Commissions Act is doing.

From Yahoo! News

WASHINGTON - Sixteen lawsuits by Guantanamo Bay detainees were put on hold Wednesday by a federal judge who said he may no longer have jurisdiction to hear their cases.

U.S. District Court Judge Reggie B. Walton in Washington said the Military Commissions Act, signed into law in October, has left him unable to consider whether the detainees can challenge being held at the Navy facility in Cuba.

An appeals court in Washington is considering whether civilian jurists can rule on those cases. Until that issue is resolved, Walton said, "it is this court's view that it lacks the authority to take any action in these cases."