Previously, the court had been widely criticised in the media for being able to make crucial rulings without public scrutiny.

But the crucial ruling, both leads report, was the lords' 3-2 decision that torture and hostage taking are not legitimate government functions.

The current disagreement stems from a crucial ruling by the Federal Aviation Administration in February.

Mr. Silverstein has lost a series of crucial rulings leading up to the trial, but both sides have expressed optimism over the ultimate outcome.

More recently, Mr. Orlandez-Gamboa lost a crucial appellate ruling that he acknowledged in court yesterday played a role in his decision to plead guilty.

Both sides are awaiting a crucial ruling by Judge Knapp on which laws it should be tried under.

In the two and a half years since the attack on the trade center, Mr. Silverstein has lost a series of crucial rulings.

If the lawyers win some crucial judicial rulings, they could severely limit the government's ability to prosecute Dr. Lee.

Lemieux had to make several crucial rulings.

Legal scholars and human rights groups say they are now looking to the judges' verdict, planned for next Thursday, as a crucial ruling that may well set an important precedent.