Professor John Yoo has formally rejected a request from the House Judiciary Committee for his testimony, prompting a likely subpoena from the committee.
Continue reading “Professor John Yoo Refuses to Testify on Torture Memos”
Category: Lawyering
The Bush Administration has long had difficulty in terrorism, assembling the worst record of losses of an modern Administration. Now, in the Liberty City case of six defendants accused of plotting to try to blow up the Sears Tower in Chicago, they are going to try a THIRD time to get a jury to believe them. This is not a matter of the law of terrorism but the law of averages. Despite the strikingly similar reaction of the prior two juries, the Justice Department just hopes that it can still find people who will not question the unconvincing case against these individuals. Continue reading “Playing the Law of Averages: Justice Department to Try Sears Tower Defendants a Third Time”
The sinking of the Titanic has long been the subject of romance novels and history books, but now may find its way into legal works. It has long been suspected that the ship sank due to shoddy material and construction that made it more vulnerable to sinking. Now, experts have focused on the rivets — raising the possibility that this was the largest actionable personal injury case in history. Continue reading “Titanic Personal Injury Case: Titanic Found to Be Largest Product Defect Case in History”
A federal judge In New Orleans has ruled that the city of Slidell must take down a portrait of Jesus on the wall at Slidell City Court. While the damages are nominal, the city will now pay legal fees and costs for an obviously unconstitutional act and attack on the principle of separation of church and state. Judge Jim Lamz helped bring about this loss by refusing to order the portrait removed. While it has been a few years since I lived in Louisiana, Slidell did not seem like a city with money to burn. Yet, it seems willing to waste money not only on this litigation but the salaries of the attorneys who told them that they could get away with this obvious violation. Continue reading “Jesus Has Left the Building: Courthouse Loses Fight Over Portrait of Jesus”
The case involving actor Rob Lowe now has a countersuit by one of the three former employees sued by Lowe and his wife. Former nanny Jessica Gibson charges Lowe with exposing himself and touching her inappropriately several times between September 2005 and January 2008. It is a good thing that Mary Poppins was written before nannies became litigation magnets. Continue reading “So Much For a Spoon Full of Sugar: Nanny Accuses Rob Lowe of Sexual Misconduct”
Usually, divorce parties wait for service of papers to learn the details of the case for termination of their marriage and details of a settlement. In yet another example of the transformation YouTube has wrought, Tricia Walsh-Smith used the YouTube video below to detail her case against her husband, Philip Smith, president of the Shubert Organization, the largest theater owner on Broadway. She details everything from their prenup to pictures of “evil” and “nasty” family members. Continue reading “Service by YouTube: Woman Uses Video to Detail Divorce Case Against Husband”
An interesting case is being heard in New York over the scope of protections afforded authors in the use of their work. Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling has sued Steven Vander Ark and RDR Books, the publisher of the Harry Potter encyclopedia for copyright infringement. Continue reading “Petrificus Totalus: Rowling Goes to Court to Stop Harry Potter Encylcopedia”
In light of today’s story on the debate over the Virginia damage caps on tort lawsuits against the state, this prior column may be of some interest. Continue reading “Tort Reform and Legal Mythologies: Re-Examining Limits on Tort Actions and Damage Awards”
As discussed on this blog, Virginia’s $100,000 limit on tort claims against the state was one of the central reasons why families agreed to a settlement with Virginia at a relatively low figure. Now, finally, someone is seeking to change the cap which has not be raised in over a decade. Continue reading “Virginia Considers Raising the Caps on Lawsuits After Virginia Tech Settlement”
In yet another controversy over attorney-client privilege and confidentiality, two attorneys in Chicago have revealed that their former client killed a security guard in 1982 and that an innocent man, Alton Logan, has been imprisoned for almost three decades for a crime that he did not commit. Bar officials in North Carolina and Virginia have faced similar questions over the limits of confidentiality, here. Continue reading “Lawyers Reveal 26-Year-Old Secret: Innocent Man Convicted of Murder of Security Guard”
In North Carolina, the bar is faced with a difficult question over the limits of confidentiality in a case of Staples Hughes. Hughes revealed a confidential statement made by his late client, who allegedly exonerated his co-defendant, Lee Wayne Hunt in a double murder case. Continue reading “Lawyer Faces Charges After Revealing Confidential Statement of Late Client to Exonerate Inmate”
According to the New York Times, former attorney general Alberto Gonzales can’ find a job after been rebuffed by law firms who are not eager to add a name now synonymous with incompetence and blind partisanship – not to mention torture. Still, these would be some interesting “ding letters”: “Dear General Gonzales, our lawyers were very impressed with your interview and resume. However, every year our firms receives countless applications from former attorney generals . . . .” Continue reading “Firms Say No to Bush Yes Man: Alberto Gonzales Having Difficulty Finding Full-Time Job”
In an interesting twist in the judicial misconduct case against Florida First District Court of Appeal Judge Michael Allen, the Florida Supreme Court issued an order asking the Judicial Qualifications Commission to explain why it filed an ethics complaint against Allen, signaling a possible move toward dismissal in the controversy over his attacking a fellow judge in an opinion. Continue reading “Florida Supreme Court Reviews Judicial Misconduct Case Against Judge Allen”
I suppose one could expect this kind of conduct at a ride called the Mad Tea Party, but Gloria Walker, 52, is accused of “line rage” in Orlando Florida. Her trial has featured various witness, including a 10-year-old girl, who testified that she attacked Aimee Krause while waiting for her turn to ride at the “Happiest Place on Earth.” Continue reading “A Really Mad Tea Party: Disney Line Rage Case Goes on Trial”
It is the rage on the blogs: the argument that the Constitution only refers to “he” and “his” and thus does not provide for a female president — absent an amendment changing the masculine pronouns. Douglas Wallace, 80, has taken this parlor trivia to a new level by filing to block Hillary Clinton from the Nevada ballot. Continue reading “Presidential Pronouns: Is Hillary Barred From Taking Office as a Female?”