Category: Justice

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TURLEY BLOG MAKES TOP 100 — RACE BEGINS FOR TOP SPOT IN IMHO (OPINION) CATEGORY

The moment has come. For the last twelve months, we have basked in the glory as the Top Law Professor and Legal Theory Blog. Now, the ABA has started the Third Annual Competition. The good news is that we once again made the top 100 blogs. However, the ABA has mixed things up a bit with new categories. We have been moved to the Opinion category (IMHO- in my humble opinion slot). The ABA editors, however, have put us up against one of the oldest and most popular legal sites, Althouse. To vote, click here.

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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Justice, Media, Politics, Society

O’Reilly: “I Don’t Care About The Constitution”

Conservative commentators continue their war on the Constitution this week with increasingly shrill rhetoric of how our laws and civil liberties are endangering us. Fox News commentator Bill O’Reilly, however, achieved a remarkable low by declaring “I don’t care about the Constitution” on air in a discussion of Attorney General Eric Holder’s decision to try five detainees in New York.
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Bizarre, Columns, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Politics, Religion, Society, Supreme Court, Torts

“Religious Convictions”: When Children Die, Religion Is No Defense

300px-AbrahamHere is today’s column from the Washington Post on the benefits of a new type of “good-faith” defense. While “religious convictions” are usually a reference to personal faith, it turns out that it has a distinct and disturbing meaning for criminal sentencing.
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Bizarre, Criminal law, International, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Military, Politics, Society

Israel To Seek Change in Law of War to Block War Crimes Investigation

225px-BenjaminNetanyahuIsrael’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seems to be morphing into George W. Bush. Faced with findings of a respected former war crimes prosecutor that Israel may have committed war crimes in its Gaza offensive, the prime minister instructed his government to seek changes to the international laws of war to retroactively justify any actions taken in Gaza.
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Bizarre, Constitutional Law, Courts, International, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Politics, Society, Torts

Rights of the Rubenesque: London Considers Making Fatism a Form of Hate Speech

180px-Rubens_Venus_at_a_Mirror_c1615Today’s column on blasphemy laws may be too narrow. In San Francisco and London, activists are demanding that denigrating someone as fat should be treated as a hate crime like race, age, or faith. “Fatism” is already banned in San Franscisco in housing and workplaces.
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Academia, Bizarre, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, International, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Politics, Religion, Society, Supreme Court

Just Say No To Blasphemy: U.S. Supports Egypt in Limiting Anti-Religious Speech

stone-1Here is today’s column in USA Today on the Obama Administration’s decision to join the U.N. Human Rights Council and support Egypt in recognizing limits on free speech for those who insult or denigrate religion. While the exception was included in a resolution heralding free speech, it was viewed as a major victory for Muslim countries seeking to establish an international blasphemy law.

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Bizarre, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, International, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Military, Politics, Religion, Society

Obama Moves to Change Law to Avoid Supreme Court Ruling on Withheld Detainee Photos

225px-official_portrait_of_barack_obamatorture -abu ghraibPresident BarackN Obama, the world’s newest Nobel peace laureate, is again expanding on the policies of former President George Bush and fighting to conceal evidence of U.S. torture and abuse. As did the Bush Administration, the Obama Administration is seeking to change the law after courts rejected its absurd argument that the President can withhold photos of detainee abuse simply because they are embarrassing to the United States. Democrats in Congress are assisting in the effort to try to stop the Supreme Court from considering the issue by preempting the litigation.

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Academia, Congress, Constitutional Law, Courts, Justice, Media, Politics, Religion, Society, Supreme Court

Simply Sonia: Sotomayor’s Colleagues Pick Docket Virtually Tailored To Force Her To Choose Sides

250px-Sonia_Sotomayor_in_SCOTUS_robe Here is this week’s column from Roll Call. It explores the interesting selection of cases this term for the Supreme Court. Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s colleagues could not have selected cases more carefully to address areas of uncertainty from her confirmation hearing. Whether by accident or design, this docket is front-loaded with cases that will force Sotomayor to show her true colors in the first few months of her tenure as an associate justice.
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Courts, International, Justice, Military, Politics, Society

Netanyahu Vows to Block Any War Crimes Trial of Israeli Official

225px-BenjaminNetanyahu125px-flag_of_the_united_nationssvgIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed not to allow any Israelis to stand trial for war crimes even if demanded by the United Nations or world court. It is a position that defies the entire basis of international legal process created by the Nuremberg Tribunals since no country has a right to determine its own innocence. As previously noted, the Goldstone Commission found credible evidence of war crimes in the Gaza campaign.

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Academia, Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Politics, Society, Supreme Court

Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s Free-Speech Tests

250px-Sonia_Sotomayor_in_SCOTUS_robeBelow is today’s column on the first day of the October Term for the Supreme Court. It specifically explores the first amendment cases on the docket. There are four major such cases thus far on the docket and, most importantly, two free speech cases that will be strong indicators of the views of Justice Sonia Sotomayor.

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Constitutional Law, Courts, Criminal law, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Politics, Religion, Society, Supreme Court

Supreme Court Takes Chicago Handgun Case in Major Test of Second Amendment Rights

easterbrook200px-Sonia_SotomayorThe Supreme Court has accepted a major handgun case, McDonald v. Chicago, that will define the scope of the recently recognized individual right under the Second Amendment. It will also allow new Justice Sonia Sotomayor to vote on the very issue that led to much of the opposition against her in her confirmation.
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Criminal law, International, Justice, Lawyering, Media, Society

Roman Polanski Arrested in Switzerland

230px-polanskiiffkvWhile justice delayed may be justice denied, but justice appears to have caught up with Roman Polanski — just 31 years delayed. To the surprise of his family and lawyers, Swiss authorities arrested the seventy-six-year-old famous director on the outstanding international warrant.
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Bizarre, Criminal law, Justice, Politics, Society

Filings in Jefferson Case Reveal New Improper Relationship Between an FBI Agent and a Witness

160px-william_jefferson_official_photo27nwModyThe post-trial proceedings in the case of former congressman William Jefferson took a sordid turn today with the discussion of yet another allegation of an FBI agent having a sexual relationship with a witness. FBI agent John Guandolo appears to have had such a relationship with the government’s lead informant, Lori Mody. The government surprised many in the trial in declining to call Mody to the stand. Judge T.S. Ellis III refused to order a new trial and insisted that the defense had no proof that the relationship had an impact on testimony in the case or, more importantly, the verdict of the jury.

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Criminal law, International, Justice, Lawyering, Society

Former Attorney General Arrested After Allegedly Killing Bicyclist in Road Rage Incident

225px-MichaelJBryantWhen he served as the attorney general for Ontario, Michael Bryant argued for harsh punishment for criminals, including a crackdown traffic crimes such a speeders. He is now accused in a shocking act of road rage that killed a bicyclist who Bryant allegedly rammed into a mailbox.

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