Category: Bizarre

Mississippi Courts Confronted with Array of High-Profile Alienation of Affection Lawsuits

We have previously followed alienation of affection lawsuit — difficult tort actions that are not recognized in most states. Mississippi appears to be cornering the market on such lawsuits this month with lawsuits involving two political different prominent individuals, including Democratic Party chairman Jamie Franks. The state Supreme Court has also released an interesting opinion on whether a law firm can be a defendant in an alienation lawsuit.
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Rape Charges Dropped After IPhone Allegedly Yields “Deleted” Messages Showing Consensual Relations

While England has backed away from extending anonymity to rape defendants (as with rape victims), Australia has a new false rape case involving two anonymous parties. Notably, however, the woman is not being charged with a false report despite the allegation that she may have tried to destroy evidence that the sex was consensual. The evidence was reportedly found among an IPhone’s deleted messages.
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D.C. Judge Hits NLJ With Prior Restraint Order

There is a major first amendment case brewing in Washington, D.C. The National Law Journal was hit with a temporary restraining order from D.C. Superior Court Judge Judith Bartnoff preventing it from publishing facts that its journalists found in publicly available documents. The court blocked the NLJ from revealing the name of a government agency investigating POM Wonderful, a pomegranate juice maker. After signing what appears to be an unconstitutional order, Bartnoff is quoted as saying “If I am throwing 80 years of First Amendment jurisprudence on its head, so be it.”
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Tennessee Lt. Governor Questions Whether Muslims Are Protected Under Religious Clauses

Tennessee Lt. Gov. (and Republican gubernatorial candidate) Ron Ramsey has added an alarming new position to the race. He has stated that he is not convinced the Constitution protects Muslims under the guarantee of freedom of religion.

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Blagojevich’s Lawyer Vows to Go To Jail Over Closing Argument

Sam Adam Jr. is under a threat of jail from Judge James B. Zagel in the trial of former Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich. Zagel has ruled that Adam cannot refer to witnesses whom the government conspicuously did not call to trial — even though prosecutors referred to non-appearing witnesses. Adam said he was prepared to go to jail over the issue.

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