Category: Courts

Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

Minnesota Supreme Court Votes Unanimously With Franken — Coleman Concedes

225px-AlFranken2009.JPG I’m Good Enough, I’m Smart Enough, and Doggone It, the Minnesota Supreme Court Likes Me. This election may have been a virtual tie, but Al Franken swept the Minnesota Supreme Court today. The Court ruled that Franken should be certified as the winner of the state’s Senate race — rejecting a challenge by Republican Norm Coleman. With Franken, the Democrats will have the votes to overcome any filibuster (if you include the two independents).

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Bizarre, Courts, Criminal law, Society

Maryland Officer Accused of Assault Captured on Dash Cam Video

Picture_4_crop380wPrince George’s County police are investigating a disturbing dash cam video of Cpl. Steven Jackson, who is accused of yanking a man out of his car and then slugging and tacking him. Shawn M. Leake, 24, had insisted on being told why he was being told to exit his car. The incident occurred on May 25, 2008.

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Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Lawyering, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

Supreme Court Rules 5-4 to Reverse Sotomayor Ruling in New Haven Firefighters Case

supreme court200px-Sonia_SotomayorAs expected, the Supreme Court voted in Ricci v. DeStefano, the New Haven firefighters case, to reverse the decision of the Second Circuit panel, which included Supreme Court nominee Sonia Sotomayor. Also as expected, Justice Kennedy played the swing vote in giving cities a new defense in such cases. Kennedy wrote the majority opinion. The fear of litigation was not sufficient to justify the discrimination against white and Hispanic firefighters. Firefighters challenged a decision to throw out promotional exam results because no African-American firefighters were among the top scoring candidates for promotion — only white and Hispanic officers. Judge Sonia Sotomayor was on the panel that upheld the city’s decision in one of her most controversial decisions.
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Bizarre, Courts, Criminal law, International, Politics, Religion, Society

Leading Iranian Cleric Calls for Execution of Some Protesters

250px-flag_of_iransvgThe Iranian government has continued its crackdown on protests, including the arrest of dozens of university professors for merely meeting with opposition leader Hossein Mousavi. Senior cleric Ayatollah Ahmed Khatami has called for the execution of some protesters and harsh treatment of all leaders of the protests.

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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Courts, Society, Torts

Federal Court Rules Against Hustler Magazine in Use of Nude Photos of Deceased Wife of Wrester Chris Benoit

200px-BenoitInTheRing200px-Hustlercoverjune2008The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit has issued a major ruling on freedom of the press and privacy. The court ruled that Hustler did not have the right to publish nude photographs of Nancy Benoit, the wife of professional wrestler Chris Benoit. Chris Benoit killed his wife and his young son before taking his own life.

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Bizarre, Courts, Criminal law, International, Justice, Religion, Society

Sharia Court Cuts Off Hands and Feet of Petty Thieves in Public Display

85px-Coat_of_arms_of_SomaliaThe world has another example of justice by extremists using Sharia law. In Mogadishu, Somalia, an Islamic court held a public ceremony where the hands and feet of weeping thieves were cut off in front of hundreds of onlookers.

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Bizarre, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Justice, Lawyering, Politics, Society

Judge Samuel Kent Resigns to Avoid Senate Hearing

Judge Kent-thumb-100x140U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent has finally resigned after Congress expedited his impeachment and Senate trial. In a remarkably dim-witted act, Kent’s lawyer announced that they had calculated that Congress could not possibly complete an impeachment and start a trial for a year. Thus, he decided that he would resign in a year to continue to bilk the government for salary and benefits. The inevitable result was that an infuriated Congress expedited the process.
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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Justice, Lawyering, Society

Court Orders New Trial After Lawyer Allegedly Sleeps in Court, Reads Health Magazines During Testimony, and Gives “Laughable” Opening Argument

gavel2 Manhattan trial attorney Michael Harrison has been named as the unidentified lawyer that is the subject of an ineffective counsel ruling where the court found that counsel fell asleep during trial, read magazines during witness testimony and gave such a rambling, implausible opening argument that the jury laughed.
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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Politics, Society

White Supremacist Leader Arrested for Threatening Federal Judges

easterbrookposnerA white supremacist blogger, Hal Turner, 47, has been arrested for allegedly posting threatening messages about three federal judges in Chicago. Turner was upset with the decision to uphold a handgun ban in Chicago. The judges are Chief Judge Frank Easterbrook, Judge Richard Posner, and Judge William Bauer. Turner is the host of the Hal Turner Show.

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Bizarre, Courts, Media, Society

The Wrinkle-Free Divorce: Connecticut Supreme Court Rules That Ex-Wife Is Barred From Speaking About Divorce Forever

Dr._PerriconeIt appears that the Connecticut Supreme Court has found a way to help spouses get rid of unsightly winkles in divorces. It ruled that the wife of wealthy skin and winkle cream doctor Nicholas V. Perricone may not speak of her divorce — forever. Thus, a private waiver signed before discovery is enforceable until death against Madeleine Perricone — presumably she is allowed to discuss the divorce in the afterlife as a matter beyond the jurisdiction of the court.

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Bizarre, Courts, Lawyering, Society

Marriage of Convenience: New York Lawyer Suspended After Falsely Claiming to Be Judge’s Wife

weinstein_jeremyThe New York Supreme Court Appellate Division has suspended New York lawyer Cheryl Brodsky in a rather bizarre case where she falsely claimed to be the wife of Queens Supreme Court Administrative Judge Jeremy Weinstein and then refused to get a mental health evaluation.
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Bizarre, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Politics, Society

Judge Kent Impeached in Expedited Process

Judge Kent-thumb-100x140The now imprisoned U.S. District Court Samuel B. Kent has been openly bilking the government for salary and benefits by refusing to resign. His lawyer even acknowledged that his promise to resign in a year was due to his calculation that the Congress could not move any faster toward a Senate trial. It was a curious legal strategy since it virtually dared the Congress to expedite the matter, which it did. Kent has now been impeached in a fast track proceeding.
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