A major provision of the law designed to take racism out of the voting process may be struck down by the U.S. Supreme Court. The highest court in the land heard oral arguments Wednesday in a challenge to Section 5 of the Voting Rights Act. The provision in the landmark 1965 civil rights law requires 16 states -- including Louisiana -- to receive approval from the U.S. Department of Justice before changing any voting procedures, from district boundaries to a polling place.

BP and the feds will settle the rest of the Big Oozy blame game in the court. The British oil giant is sending signals this week that they're ready to go to trial with the U.S. government, and let a judge decide how much the company will have to pay for the 2010 Gulf oil disaster. The meat of the trial, set to begin Monday in federal court in New Orleans, will determine whether BP was "grossly negligent" in its operating of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig.

The gloves have come off in the City's dispute with the feds over reforming the NOPD. Since reneging on its earlier support for the NOPD consent decree, the City has had plenty to say about the feds and their agreements. On Friday, it was the feds' turn to defend themselves from claims that the agreement designed to implement close to 500 reforms at the New Orleans Police Department was untenable. In a motion so long that it required a separate motion to let the judge know how long it was going to be, the feds issued a harsh rebuke to the City's claims, calling the Landrieu administration "cynical" and egregious distorters, among other things.

As of today, BP is officially guilty of federal crimes in the Big Oozy. In U.S. District Court, the oil giant entered guilty pleas to 14 counts stemming from the Deepwater Horizon disaster and subsequent torrent of oil unleashed on the Gulf of Mexico in April, 2010. The British company was officially "sentenced" to pay $4 billion in criminal, but the day was devoid of courtroom drama as the number was worked out beforehand as part of a deal announced in November, 2012.

BP already acknowledged its criminality for the Big Oozy. Today, the owner of the Deepwater Horizon comes clean. Transocean agreed to enter a guilty plea to a criminal charge for the 2010 disaster, and pay $1.4 billion in settlement money to the feds, according to the U.S. Department of Justice. One billion dollars worth of settlement money will go toward paying for Clean Water Act penalties. The Swiss company promised to shell out another $400,000 for settling civil and criminal penalties.

Updated 5:15 p.m.

BP admitted that their part in the Deepwater Horizon oil disaster was criminal today.The oil company is set to plead guilty to criminal charges brought against them for the Big Oozy, and pay $4 billion in fines over the next five years, as part of an agreement with the U.S. Department of Justice. A total of 14 charges were brought against the company by the DOJ today, and three BP employees were charged in connection with the disaster and spill - including two rig employees who will now face manslaughter charges.

One of Katrina's tense moments on a bridge will not end up being recounted in the courtroom. On Sept. 1, 2005, a crowd attempted to cross the Crescent City Connection on foot. Greeting them was a horde of Gretna police, effectively sealing off the bridge. At least one cop fired a warning shot, and accusations of racism flew after the incident. Gretna Police Chief Arthur Lawson defended the decision by saying Jefferson Parish didn't have anywhere to put the fleeing flood victims. But U.S. Attorney Jim Letten said Friday that the cops didn't break the law, and the feds are now closing the case.

One fine post-Oozy day, the BOP was whisked off to Michoud, and there was talk of a federal probe. While this had us thinking of aliens and those lunatic uncle stories we never wanted to think about again, it turns out they were actually talking about humans conducting a federal investigation. Since then, we haven't heard much about the investigation, which inclues a look at whether BP purposely witheld information or downplayed the severity of the Macondo flow. Today, Huffington Post looks at the latter, and brings back some old names. Suttles, Landry, it's been too long! Read the long, investigative account here.

As long as the feds sign off, the New Orleans body politic will gain a shoulder and lose a finger in 2014.